Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dededo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dededo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,734 in Dededo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $3,899 in Dededo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $5,064 in Dededo.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 40% less than in Dededo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Dededo 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$25.44 $25.44

-68.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$49.04 $49.04

-1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$17.30 $17.30

-45.55%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$4.54 $4.54

-35.24%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$1.13 $1.13

64.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$0.97 $0.97

50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$2.79 $2.79

15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$7.00 $7.00

-79.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$8.82 $8.82

-72.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

$2.26 $2.26

-24.78%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$7.02 $7.02

-58.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$17.86 $17.86

-44.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$7.90 $7.90

-49.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

$7.96 $7.96

-80.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

$10.06 $10.06

-78.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

$9.89 $9.89

-76.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

$6.30 $6.30

-68.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

$8.37 $8.37

-81.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

$4.58 $4.58

-73.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

$1.97 $1.97

-35.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$9.27 $9.27

-58.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$23.39 $23.39

-40.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

$2.55 $2.55

-32.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$5.07 $5.07

-45.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$200 $200

-15.74%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$50.2 $50.2

-72.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$49.55 $49.55

-42.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

$59.1 $59.1

47.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

$99.6 $99.6

-40.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$100 $100

38.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

$121 $121

-15.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,605 $1,605

-33.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,307 $1,307

-50.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$3,224 $3,224

-40.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$1,992 $1,992

-47.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,732 $3,732

-82.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dededo: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $1,605 in Dededo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dededo pays 470% 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 $49.00 in Dededo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $609 per month, with Medellin 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 Dededo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Dededo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 470% lower in Dededo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,605 in Dededo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $2,734 in Dededo – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in Dededo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,734 in Dededo, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dededo. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,641 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Dededo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Dededo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.