Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Diadema Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Diadema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $810 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,317 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,823 in Diadema.

Living in Medellin is roughly 28% more expensive than Diadema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Diadema 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.09 R$35.38

-16.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$39.87 R$199

-17.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.02 R$35.04

2.56%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.87 R$9.34

-9.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.21 R$6.01

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.90 R$4.50

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.76 R$8.78

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.92 R$14.55

6.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.02 R$5.09

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.58 R$7.89

-20.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.31 R$6.55

6.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.35 R$11.74

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.97 R$39.79

-45.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.89 R$19.42

50.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.57 R$42.79

3.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.20 R$10.97

1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.75 R$8.75

-38.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.45 R$7.25

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.60 R$8.00

-14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.25 R$6.24

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.08 R$5.41

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.76 R$3.79

11.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.65 R$3.25

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.49 R$12.41

-6.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.43 R$47.04

18.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.36 R$6.80

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.40 R$11.96

-1.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.94 R$4.68

-15.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$38.96 R$194

5.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.86 R$4.32

67.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.71 R$3.55

169.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.76 R$43.74

-8.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.01 R$5.06

-6.93%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$22.0K R$109.6K

-18.41%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.9K R$144.4K

-7.43%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$46.77 R$233

79.52%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.05 R$65.1

-26.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$19.01 R$94.9

27.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.35 R$112

15.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.23 R$106

-10.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.49 R$27.40

-28.60%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$318 R$1,588

-3.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,901 R$34.4K

-14.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$51.0 R$255

13.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$41.58 R$207

-23.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$77.4 R$386

29.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$73.0 R$364

46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$317 R$1,583

53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$214 R$1,070

71.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$585 R$2,918

41.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$429 R$2,143

66.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,226 R$6,118

138.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$820 R$4,094

71.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$506 R$2,525

7.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Diadema: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $317 in Diadema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 8% 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 $40.00 in Diadema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $192 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 Diadema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $317 in Diadema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Diadema – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $810 in Diadema – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Diadema versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.