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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,419 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,340 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,260 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Medellin is about 27% cheaper than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Diego Martin is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.29 TTD 35.95

11.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$73.2 TTD 497

-55.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.81 TTD 46.26

5.73%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.62 TTD 24.58

-53.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.05 TTD 7.14

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.56 TTD 3.83

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.79 TTD 12.19

-6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.13 TTD 21.24

-0.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.76 TTD 18.73

-61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.13 TTD 14.44

-41.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.61 TTD 17.69

-46.74%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.41 TTD 29.91

-48.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.11 TTD 55.1

-46.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$10.38 TTD 70.5

-43.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$14.09 TTD 95.7

-37.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.97 TTD 40.51

-62.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.50 TTD 16.98

-56.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$4.36 TTD 29.60

-64.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.65 TTD 31.55

-70.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.45 TTD 9.84

-22.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.72 TTD 11.68

-34.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.88 TTD 12.79

-54.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.41 TTD 9.59

-35.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.79 TTD 39.29

-59.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.81 TTD 135

-43.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.19 TTD 14.89

-45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.80 TTD 19.02

-15.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.93 TTD 6.32

-15.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$74.8 TTD 508

-45.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.00 TTD 6.79

44.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.90 TTD 6.09

112.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$14.67 TTD 99.6

-45.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.11 TTD 7.55

-15.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$14.6K TTD 99.0K

22.91%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$38.0K TTD 257.7K

-29.42%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$79.4 TTD 539

5.77%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$46.81 TTD 318

-79.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$61.4 TTD 417

-60.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$44.10 TTD 299

-41.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.50 TTD 50.9

-47.73%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$325 TTD 2,206

-5.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,326 TTD 49.7K

-19.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.4 TTD 403

-2.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$38.39 TTD 261

-17.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$146 TTD 993

-31.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$129 TTD 879

-17.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$674 TTD 4,578

-27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$442 TTD 3,004

-16.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,452 TTD 9,859

-43.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$950 TTD 6,452

-24.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,783 TTD 12.1K

-69.41%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $674 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 227% 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: $190 vs $369 – 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 37% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,129 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 95% 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 $1,034, than in Diego Martin at $1,419. 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 $1,034 versus $1,419 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.