Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Damietta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Damietta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $325 in Damietta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $549 in Damietta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $773 in Damietta.

Living in Medellin is roughly 428% more expensive than in Damietta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Damietta is 76% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03 COP 25.1K
$4.02 E£204
99.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26 COP 151.0K
$11.85 E£602
307.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.77 COP 30.6K
$4.85 E£246
101.44%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,107
$1.15 E£58.6
153.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 COP 6,082
$0.32 E£16.06
506.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 COP 4,760
$0.11 E£5.79
1281.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 COP 9,676
$1.34 E£68.1
130.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 COP 18.0K
$3.01 E£153
90.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,267
$0.69 E£35.12
97.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 COP 7,470
$0.34 E£17.40
602.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,321
$0.62 E£31.32
174.19%
Eggs
$2.87 COP 8,979
$1.17 E£59.6
145.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 COP 31.1K
$1.86 E£94.7
434.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.78 COP 33.7K
$2.94 E£149
266.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.73 COP 46.1K
$8.56 E£435
72.08%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 COP 12.8K
$1.42 E£72.4
188.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 COP 4,917
$0.61 E£31.24
157.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 COP 6,651
$0.37 E£19.05
475.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 COP 6,926
$0.36 E£18.23
513.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 COP 6,404
$0.27 E£13.79
659.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,706
$0.22 E£11.15
581.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 COP 3,723
$0.26 E£13.21
357.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 COP 3,623
$0.20 E£10.15
480.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.2K
$2.03 E£103
92.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.44 COP 45.2K
$5.76 E£293
150.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 4,955
$1.30 E£66.3
21.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 COP 8,847
$2.03 E£103
39.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,655
$0.10 E£4.93
1070.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.7 COP 243.2K
$4.27 E£217
1720.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,019
$0.41 E£20.66
212.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 COP 6,546
$0.31 E£15.78
574.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.62 COP 27.0K
$0.41 E£20.61
2002.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,061
$0.39 E£19.59
233.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K COP 86.5M
$24.6K E£1.2M
12.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K COP 111.1M
$28.4K E£1.4M
25.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 COP 550.9K
$14.41 E£732
1121.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 41.8K
$6.45 E£328
107.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89 COP 93.5K
$13.73 E£698
117.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.76 COP 140.0K
$18.91 E£961
136.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 COP 53.4K
$6.49 E£330
162.87%
Cinema Ticket
$6.20 COP 19.4K
$2.92 E£148
112.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 COP 2.5M
$36.72 E£1,866
2060.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,019 COP 28.2M
$968 E£49.2K
831.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 COP 267.8K
$14.84 E£754
476.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5 COP 182.9K
$26.48 E£1,346
120.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 COP 426.4K
$78.1 E£3,971
74.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 COP 322.6K
$19.36 E£984
432.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 COP 3.3M
$33.99 E£1,727
3017.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 COP 2.1M
$21.89 E£1,112
3004.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,012 COP 6.3M
$116 E£5,904
1631.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 COP 3.7M
$84.8 E£4,308
1278.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,111 COP 12.9M
$987 E£50.2K
316.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,701 COP 5.3M
$684 E£34.8K
148.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$665 COP 2.1M
$130 E£6,626
410.23%
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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Damietta: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $33.99 in Damietta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 410% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Damietta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $104 per month, with Damietta cheaper across the board.

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 428% 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 410% 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: $1,060 in Medellin versus $33.99 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 $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $325 in Damietta – a 428% 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 1720% 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 $325 in Damietta versus $1,716 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 $325 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 428% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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