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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $616 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,068 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,519 in Diadema.

Living in Medellin is roughly 174% more expensive than in Diadema, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Diadema is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.82 R$45.80

-10.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$48.30 R$251

-7.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$8.84 R$45.90

5.09%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.22 R$11.52

30.63%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.41 R$7.30

28.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.87 R$4.51

78.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.89 R$15.03

12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$4.18 R$21.70

40.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.18 R$6.14

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.91 R$9.94

28.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.11 R$5.78

36.04%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.63 R$13.67

5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.58 R$44.57

5.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.35 R$22.61

144.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$10.04 R$52.2

45.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.63 R$13.64

50.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.73 R$8.98

-20.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.48 R$7.71

55.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.74 R$9.03

16.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.30 R$6.75

60.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.19 R$6.18

36.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.89 R$4.62

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.77 R$3.97

62.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.63 R$13.66

53.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$8.75 R$45.42

53.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.62 R$8.42

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.53 R$13.16

18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.22 R$6.35

31.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.92 R$4.76

131.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$9.26 R$48.10

-7.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.19 R$6.19

13.45%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$23.5K R$121.8K

20.74%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$32.2K R$167.1K

10.94%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$44.48 R$231

240.33%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$14.83 R$77.0

-11.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$17.75 R$92.2

81.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$19.00 R$98.7

143.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.47 R$38.81

-13.92%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$424 R$2,201

96.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$7,511 R$39.0K

18.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$53.0 R$275

68.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$55.7 R$289

-0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$91.1 R$473

49.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$81.3 R$422

34.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,155 R$5,999

219.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$782 R$4,060

102.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$481 R$2,500

29.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

11.12

-6.21%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Diadema: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 30% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $48.00 in Diadema. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $211, with Diadema cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 174% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $616 in Diadema – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Diadema versus $1,687 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 174% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.