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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $812 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,306 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,799 in Diadema.

Living in Medellin is roughly 25% more expensive than Diadema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Diadema 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.11 R$36.02

-16.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$39.65 R$201

-15.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.41 R$37.49

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.87 R$9.46

-12.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.25 R$6.32

-12.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.85 R$4.32

-14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.83 R$9.27

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.91 R$14.73

11.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.02 R$5.16

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.59 R$8.03

-18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.26 R$6.38

4.76%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.40 R$12.14

-5.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.14 R$41.19

-46.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.82 R$19.35

53.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.72 R$44.14

-1.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.24 R$11.33

0.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.79 R$9.05

-40.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.46 R$7.38

4.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.52 R$7.69

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.26 R$6.35

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.14 R$5.78

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.78 R$3.95

14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.64 R$3.26

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.50 R$12.64

-10.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.44 R$42.74

30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.36 R$6.88

-16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.28 R$11.56

4.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.93 R$4.71

-9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$37.85 R$192

10.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.86 R$4.37

63.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.69 R$3.52

175.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.85 R$44.81

-12.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.00 R$5.07

1.00%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.0K R$111.2K

-19.95%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.0K R$142.0K

-5.53%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$46.99 R$238

78.08%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.00 R$65.8

-27.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$18.59 R$94.1

29.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.45 R$114

12.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.58 R$109

-11.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.47 R$27.67

-25.05%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$311 R$1,574

0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,815 R$34.5K

-12.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$52.2 R$264

11.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.28 R$214

-22.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$79.4 R$402

25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$71.8 R$363

51.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$313 R$1,584

54.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$215 R$1,091

76.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$581 R$2,939

44.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$434 R$2,198

66.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,203 R$6,088

136.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$804 R$4,069

52.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$478 R$2,417

13.27%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Diadema: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $313 in Diadema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 13% 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 $191 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 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 13% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $313 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 $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $812 in Diadema – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $812 in Diadema versus $1,017 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 25% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.