Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Diego Martin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Diego Martin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,408 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,356 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $3,304 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Medellin is about 29% cheaper than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Diego Martin is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.10 TTD 34.23

15.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$73.1 TTD 491

-54.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.71 TTD 45.05

10.73%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.75 TTD 25.17

-56.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.09 TTD 7.35

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.57 TTD 3.84

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.80 TTD 12.07

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.16 TTD 21.23

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.68 TTD 17.96

-58.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.09 TTD 14.00

-39.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.71 TTD 18.18

-49.08%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.38 TTD 29.40

-50.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.09 TTD 54.4

-44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$10.37 TTD 69.6

-44.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$14.19 TTD 95.3

-36.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.68 TTD 38.17

-59.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.52 TTD 16.89

-57.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$4.37 TTD 29.32

-65.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.83 TTD 32.42

-71.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.49 TTD 10.00

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.65 TTD 11.10

-29.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.90 TTD 12.78

-52.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.40 TTD 9.41

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.84 TTD 39.24

-61.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$18.01 TTD 121

-32.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.12 TTD 14.22

-43.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.85 TTD 19.15

-12.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.86 TTD 5.78

-1.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$73.8 TTD 495

-43.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.06 TTD 7.12

33.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.90 TTD 6.02

116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$14.65 TTD 98.4

-46.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.08 TTD 7.23

-8.33%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$14.9K TTD 99.9K

18.29%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$38.9K TTD 261.4K

-31.15%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$80.0 TTD 537

3.78%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$45.92 TTD 308

-78.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$62.3 TTD 418

-62.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$44.33 TTD 298

-43.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.19 TTD 48.31

-45.06%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$330 TTD 2,218

-4.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,260 TTD 48.8K

-17.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$59.3 TTD 398

1.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$38.17 TTD 256

-16.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$146 TTD 983

-30.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$129 TTD 865

-16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$665 TTD 4,464

-28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$448 TTD 3,006

-16.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,437 TTD 9,648

-40.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$953 TTD 6,402

-24.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,751 TTD 11.8K

-64.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $665 in Diego Martin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 180% higher in Diego Martin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $73.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $364 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Diego Martin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diego Martin costs about 40% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $2,111 in Diego Martin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Diego Martin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $73.0 in Diego Martin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Diego Martin at $1,408. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Diego Martin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,408 in Diego Martin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Diego Martin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.