Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Duitama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Duitama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $735 in Duitama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,111 in Duitama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,488 in Duitama.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than Duitama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Duitama 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.19 COP 11.1K

86.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$19.24 COP 67.1K

73.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.92 COP 24.2K

4.48%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.34 COP 4,682

21.64%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.77 COP 2,675

41.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.58 COP 2,029

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.38 COP 4,810

26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.12 COP 7,390

52.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.17 COP 4,078

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.10 COP 3,848

17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.24 COP 4,320

6.45%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.26 COP 7,877

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.22 COP 14.7K

3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.83 COP 20.3K

0.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.22 COP 25.2K

19.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.61 COP 9,108

-13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.17 COP 4,083

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.90 COP 3,136

68.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.85 COP 2,978

67.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.23 COP 4,308

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.97 COP 3,394

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.95 COP 3,328

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.80 COP 2,787

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.68 COP 5,855

33.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.59 COP 30.0K

28.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.85 COP 2,959

34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.48 COP 5,160

60.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.68 COP 2,389

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$30.12 COP 105.1K

39.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.69 COP 5,912

-16.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.61 COP 5,633

18.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.22 COP 21.7K

24.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.95 COP 3,312

6.32%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.7K COP 68.9M

-10.94%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.3K COP 98.7M

-6.31%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$73.0 COP 254.7K

14.68%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.92 COP 31.1K

5.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$12.00 COP 41.9K

100.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.55 COP 82.2K

7.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.36 COP 8,238

73.73%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$243 COP 847.6K

28.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,488 COP 8.7M

140.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$64.1 COP 223.8K

-9.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$32.84 COP 114.6K

-0.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$84.5 COP 295.0K

17.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$38.10 COP 133.0K

184.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$281 COP 982.0K

71.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$240 COP 838.7K

57.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$705 COP 2.5M

18.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$383 COP 1.3M

88.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,744 COP 6.1M

62.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,333 COP 4.7M

-8.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.25

-11.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Duitama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $281 in Duitama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $19.00 in Duitama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $172 per month, with Duitama 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 Duitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duitama wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duitama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,103 in Duitama 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $281 in Duitama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $735 in Duitama – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Duitama runs roughly 39% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $735 in Duitama versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duitama but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Duitama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duitama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $735 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duitama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Duitama 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 Duitama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.