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 $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,450 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,359 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $3,268 in Diego Martin, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Diego Martin is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$5.26 TTD 35.26

14.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$74.7 TTD 501

-56.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$6.80 TTD 45.57

9.12%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$3.60 TTD 24.14

-54.17%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.04 TTD 6.96

2.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.56 TTD 3.78

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.89 TTD 12.63

-8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.01 TTD 20.18

6.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$2.77 TTD 18.57

-62.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$2.04 TTD 13.67

-35.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$2.59 TTD 17.35

-48.26%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$4.49 TTD 30.07

-51.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$7.96 TTD 53.3

-44.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$10.24 TTD 68.6

-44.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$14.53 TTD 97.3

-41.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$5.75 TTD 38.51

-59.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$2.48 TTD 16.65

-55.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$4.26 TTD 28.52

-64.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$4.81 TTD 32.25

-71.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.48 TTD 9.93

-22.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.70 TTD 11.39

-30.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.97 TTD 13.21

-57.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.41 TTD 9.43

-39.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$6.08 TTD 40.75

-62.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$18.85 TTD 126

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.10 TTD 14.09

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.84 TTD 19.02

-12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.91 TTD 6.08

-13.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$72.5 TTD 486

-43.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.04 TTD 6.98

41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.92 TTD 6.18

108.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$14.63 TTD 98.0

-46.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.07 TTD 7.17

-5.61%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$15.0K TTD 100.2K

18.09%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$38.1K TTD 255.3K

-30.58%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$79.4 TTD 532

2.21%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$47.03 TTD 315

-79.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$62.5 TTD 419

-61.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$44.47 TTD 298

-41.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$7.19 TTD 48.20

-43.12%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$332 TTD 2,226

-5.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$7,077 TTD 47.4K

-14.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$58.4 TTD 391

2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$39.18 TTD 263

-18.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$146 TTD 976

-30.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$128 TTD 858

-17.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$654 TTD 4,385

-25.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$443 TTD 2,970

-17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,416 TTD 9,486

-41.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$980 TTD 6,566

-25.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,799 TTD 12.1K

-69.39%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $654 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 $75.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $366 – 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 41% 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $2,175 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 93% 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 $75.0 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 $1,028, than in Diego Martin at $1,450. 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 $1,028 versus $1,450 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.