Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $883 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$883

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in David

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 David actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $883 in David, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
David $883

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $949 in David, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
David $949

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,014 in David, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
David $1,014

Medellin costs about 86% more than David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while David is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$5.65 PAB 5.65

43.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$37.37 PAB 37.37

25.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$7.11 PAB 7.11

33.61%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$3.28 PAB 3.28

-8.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 5,809

$1.53 PAB 1.53

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$1.48 PAB 1.48

-4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$2.05 PAB 2.05

55.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$2.68 PAB 2.68

114.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$1.77 PAB 1.77

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

$2.14 PAB 2.14

11.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$2.44 PAB 2.44

-27.46%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$2.39 PAB 2.39

20.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-40.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$9.86 PAB 9.86

38.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

$0.72 PAB 0.72

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

$3.01 PAB 3.01

-57.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

$2.04 PAB 2.04

0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$1.07 PAB 1.07

26.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.1K COP 110.0M

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

38.67%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$30.0K PAB 30.0K

15.56%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$170 COP 547.8K

$185 PAB 185

-8.52%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.55 COP 43.8K

$28.76 PAB 28.76

-52.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$48.59 PAB 48.59

-42.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

$30.61 PAB 30.61

42.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$797 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$5,960 PAB 5,960

52.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$347 PAB 347

247.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$354 PAB 354

81.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$598 PAB 598

9.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for David: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

David

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

David

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $347 in David. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $37 in David. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $86 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

03:48 3:48 AM

Same time as Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

82,907

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.896 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Medellin David 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
David

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,324 in David. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $347 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

Groceries cost about 246% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $37 in David. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $883, than in Medellin at $1,639. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $883 in David to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with David. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.