Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Des Moines, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Des Moines, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $2,058 in Des Moines, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $3,151 in Des Moines, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $4,244 in Des Moines, IA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 50% less than in Des Moines, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Des Moines, IA is 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$16.09 $16.09

-62.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$79.3 $79.3

-58.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$11.87 $11.87

-37.49%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$4.90 $4.90

-66.33%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$2.31 $2.31

-53.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$1.88 $1.88

-59.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$5.04 $5.04

-65.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$6.95 $6.95

-53.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$0.91 $0.91

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$2.54 $2.54

-48.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$2.26 $2.26

-40.71%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$3.55 $3.55

-38.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$12.54 $12.54

-64.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$10.45 $10.45

-45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$12.78 $12.78

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$4.44 $4.44

-47.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.49 $1.49

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$3.73 $3.73

-59.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$3.45 $3.45

-60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.62 $1.62

-29.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$3.07 $3.07

-61.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$2.20 $2.20

-61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.08 $1.08

-20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$7.23 $7.23

-68.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$14.93 $14.93

-22.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.71 $1.71

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$3.91 $3.91

-36.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$1.71 $1.71

-53.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$58.0 $58.0

-29.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$2.03 $2.03

-27.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.22 $1.22

57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$20.07 $20.07

-61.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.82 $0.82

23.17%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$26.0K $26.0K

-32.15%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$24.2K $24.2K

9.27%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$143 $143

-43.10%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$50.3 $50.3

-81.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$52.9 $52.9

-54.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$65.7 $65.7

-60.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$19.78 $19.78

-5.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$14.71 $14.71

-72.20%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$1,366 $1,366

-76.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$12.0K $12.0K

-49.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$53.9 $53.9

10.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$42.32 $42.32

-24.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$72.4 $72.4

39.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$127 $127

-17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,250 $1,250

-61.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$916 $916

-60.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,787 $1,787

-53.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,486 $1,486

-50.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,341 $2,341

27.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$2,351 $2,351

-44.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$3,699 $3,699

-85.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $1,250 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 572% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $79.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $328 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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 100% lower than in Des Moines, IA. 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 572% lower in Des Moines, IA. 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: $485 in Medellin versus $1,250 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $79.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $2,058 in Des Moines, IA – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $2,058 in Des Moines, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. 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 $1,028 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Des Moines, IA 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 100% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.