Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Damietta

For one person, living is cheaper in Damietta: $329 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Damietta
🇪🇬 Egypt
$329
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Damietta

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Damietta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,625 in Medellin versus $329 in Damietta.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Damietta $329

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,412 in Medellin versus $556 in Damietta.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Damietta $556

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Medellin versus $783 in Damietta.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Damietta $783

Living in Medellin is roughly 394% more expensive than in Damietta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Damietta is 76% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$4.13 E£221
100.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$11.00 E£588
326.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$4.51 E£241
104.88%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$1.26 E£67.3
142.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$0.30 E£16.00
500.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$0.13 E£6.77
961.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$1.27 E£67.8
155.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$2.85 E£152
95.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$0.67 E£35.70
123.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$0.29 E£15.54
717.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$0.62 E£33.03
174.19%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$1.16 E£62.2
155.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$2.21 E£118
362.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$2.43 E£130
300.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$8.07 E£431
72.24%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$1.45 E£77.4
184.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$0.68 E£36.13
125.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$0.48 E£25.88
362.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$0.23 E£12.33
886.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$0.24 E£12.69
729.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$0.26 E£13.81
542.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$0.24 E£12.72
391.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.15 E£8.27
726.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$1.73 E£92.4
123.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$5.60 E£299
146.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$1.16 E£61.9
43.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$1.64 E£87.6
46.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$0.08 E£4.48
1450.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$3.91 E£209
1900.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$0.35 E£18.92
265.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$0.17 E£8.88
1164.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$1.17 E£62.4
615.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$0.46 E£24.47
193.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$22.9K E£1.2M
51.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$25.1K E£1.3M
37.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$13.85 E£739
1103.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$6.66 E£356
104.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$13.19 E£705
120.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$21.16 E£1,130
113.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$3.65 E£195
370.68%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$2.82 E£151
147.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$55.9 E£2,984
1313.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$1,153 E£61.6K
684.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$10.16 E£543
764.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$36.48 E£1,948
59.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$46.55 E£2,486
198.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$54.2 E£2,896
82.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$27.71 E£1,479
3610.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$22.44 E£1,198
2660.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$113 E£6,053
1559.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$94.4 E£5,041
967.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$917 E£49.0K
335.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$645 E£34.4K
164.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$119 E£6,345
458.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
8
36.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Damietta: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Damietta
$22 96.4% $597
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Damietta
$98 67% $199
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Damietta
$34 83.9% $176
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Damietta
$66 61.6% $106
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Damietta
$75 55.8% $95
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Damietta
$5.4 94.3% $90
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Damietta
$27 54.6% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $27.71 in Damietta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 458% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Medellin vs $11.00 in Damietta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $98.0 per month, with Damietta cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇬 Damietta
🕒 Local time
16:38 4:38 PM
00:38 12:38 AM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
267,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Damietta 11,270 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Damietta

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Medellin vs Damietta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Damietta?
Damietta wins on cost – living expenses run 394% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Damietta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or in Damietta?
Average pay runs 458% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Damietta?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,028 in Medellin versus $27.71 in Damietta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Damietta?
All in, you'll spend $1,625 per month in Medellin versus $329 in Damietta – a 394% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Medellin compared to Damietta?
A monthly transit pass in Damietta runs roughly 1900% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Damietta?
At $329 in Damietta versus $1,625 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Damietta but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Damietta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Damietta?
Both work as nomad bases, but Damietta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $329 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Damietta hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Damietta?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Damietta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Damietta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 394% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?