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: $1,555 in Medellin versus $606 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Medellin versus $1,029 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Medellin versus $1,452 in Diadema.

Living in Medellin is roughly 157% more expensive than in Diadema, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 15% above, Diadema is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.7K

$8.42 R$43.97

-9.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 145.7K

$47.05 R$246

-4.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.1K

$7.93 R$41.40

16.52%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,591

$2.10 R$10.99

40.48%

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

$1.80 COP 5,861

$1.30 R$6.78

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,391

$0.83 R$4.35

62.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,544

$2.91 R$15.18

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

$4.30 R$22.44

26.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,663

$1.18 R$6.14

21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,785

$1.79 R$9.34

33.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,209

$1.14 R$5.96

40.35%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,364

$2.59 R$13.51

11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.6K

$8.52 R$44.47

13.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.7K

$4.25 R$22.20

122.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.1K

$10.42 R$54.4

27.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.2K

$2.69 R$14.04

39.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,703

$1.77 R$9.24

-18.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,829

$1.61 R$8.39

30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,930

$1.80 R$9.39

18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,259

$1.36 R$7.11

41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,984

$1.22 R$6.36

25.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,549

$0.87 R$4.53

25.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,843

$0.71 R$3.73

66.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.3K

$2.66 R$13.90

42.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.8K

$8.44 R$44.09

55.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,337

$1.65 R$8.61

-0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,410

$2.47 R$12.90

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,825

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,157

$1.23 R$6.43

4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,434

$0.92 R$4.78

115.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.7K

$9.01 R$47.04

-12.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,211

$1.25 R$6.50

3.20%

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

$26.8K COP 87.2M

$23.3K R$121.5K

15.09%

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

$34.7K COP 112.9M

$32.8K R$171.1K

5.86%

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

$158 COP 513.6K

$44.35 R$232

255.83%

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

$13.39 COP 43.6K

$14.41 R$75.2

-7.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 88.8K

$17.96 R$93.8

51.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 143.7K

$19.13 R$99.9

130.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

$7.50 R$39.18

-14.80%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$412 R$2,153

88.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.6M

$7,211 R$37.7K

22.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.2K

$54.2 R$283

52.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 182.6K

$55.4 R$289

1.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 425.7K

$91.9 R$480

42.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.1K

$82.2 R$429

16.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

$1,164 R$6,076

235.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

$786 R$4,102

100.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$472 R$2,463

31.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.12

-1.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Diadema: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 31% 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 $47.00 in Diadema. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 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 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% 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 35% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,555 per month in Medellin versus $606 in Diadema – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $606 in Diadema versus $1,555 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 157% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.