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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $682 in Dubasari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,077 in Dubasari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,471 in Dubasari.

Living in Medellin is roughly 51% more expensive than in Dubasari, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dubasari 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.91 MDL 155

-30.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$36.19 MDL 630

-9.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.39 MDL 129

-0.68%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.81 MDL 31.54

-4.97%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.99 MDL 17.29

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.69 MDL 11.95

11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.77 MDL 30.77

-4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.30 MDL 40.05

37.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.28 MDL 22.37

-17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.53 MDL 9.16

145.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.44 MDL 25.13

-2.78%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.61 MDL 45.37

-17.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.48 MDL 183

-58.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.50 MDL 95.7

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.83 MDL 154

-2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.85 MDL 14.84

168.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.83 MDL 31.91

-39.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.71 MDL 29.71

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.16 MDL 37.61

-37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.76 MDL 13.30

48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.55 MDL 9.66

105.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.36 MDL 23.69

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.90 MDL 15.70

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.23 MDL 56.2

-27.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.59 MDL 79.9

169.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.21 MDL 21.06

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.00 MDL 34.90

24.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.06 MDL 35.93

-31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.27 MDL 4.72

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.13 MDL 89.4

49.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.41 MDL 24.61

-29.79%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.6K MDL 568.4K

-44.77%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$30.5K MDL 531.7K

-12.80%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$171 MDL 2,971

-52.64%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.57 MDL 132

31.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.73 MDL 187

125.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.73 MDL 135

-48.51%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$383 MDL 6,669

-20.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,756 MDL 135.1K

-21.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$67.0 MDL 1,167

-13.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$53.5 MDL 931

-39.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$111 MDL 1,936

-9.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$122 MDL 2,130

-11.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.24

45.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dubasari: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Dubasari. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $191, with Dubasari 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 Dubasari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubasari is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,023 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 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $682 in Dubasari – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $682 in Dubasari versus $1,031 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 51% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.