Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dubasari Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dubasari

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $651 in Dubasari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $988 in Dubasari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,325 in Dubasari.

Living in Medellin is roughly 158% more expensive than in Dubasari, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Dubasari is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$8.40 MDL 146

-4.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$30.67 MDL 534

56.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$10.59 MDL 184

-6.61%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.81 MDL 31.46

72.93%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.13 MDL 19.74

69.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.67 MDL 11.68

125.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.06 MDL 35.86

51.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.32 MDL 40.35

147.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.24 MDL 21.65

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.51 MDL 8.95

388.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.60 MDL 27.81

10.62%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.29 MDL 39.93

29.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$6.78 MDL 118

48.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.71 MDL 82.0

114.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$6.23 MDL 108

129.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.07 MDL 18.63

286.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.32 MDL 40.31

-30.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.86 MDL 32.28

20.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.41 MDL 41.91

-6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.78 MDL 13.62

161.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.50 MDL 8.62

208.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.47 MDL 8.25

148.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.60 MDL 10.43

118.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.40 MDL 59.2

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$4.73 MDL 82.3

196.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.43 MDL 24.86

21.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.06 MDL 35.90

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.84 MDL 49.47

-53.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.27 MDL 4.73

711.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$5.79 MDL 101

50.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.52 MDL 26.48

-9.87%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$34.1K MDL 593.8K

-18.43%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$25.4K MDL 441.5K

41.00%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$231 MDL 4,019

-23.24%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$8.25 MDL 144

68.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$11.45 MDL 199

159.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$11.48 MDL 200

290.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$7.93 MDL 138

-16.14%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$115 MDL 1,993

609.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$5,283 MDL 91.9K

73.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$45.29 MDL 788

97.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$58.1 MDL 1,011

137.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$52.0 MDL 905

96.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

36.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dubasari: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $31.00 in Dubasari for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $168 per month, with Dubasari cheaper across the board.

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 Dubasari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubasari is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $977 in Dubasari to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $651 in Dubasari – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $651 in Dubasari versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dubasari but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dubasari the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dubasari 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Dubasari are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dubasari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.