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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $753 in Duitama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,112 in Duitama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,471 in Duitama.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than in Duitama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Duitama 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$3.19 COP 10.2K

85.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$19.43 COP 62.0K

69.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.76 COP 21.6K

9.91%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.35 COP 4,314

22.22%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.75 COP 2,387

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.55 COP 1,743

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.40 COP 4,474

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.01 COP 6,416

58.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.17 COP 3,734

-5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.06 COP 3,384

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.20 COP 3,826

15.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.22 COP 7,093

-1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$4.07 COP 13.0K

10.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$5.95 COP 19.0K

-2.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.29 COP 23.2K

23.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.51 COP 8,005

-7.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.22 COP 3,880

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.88 COP 2,818

72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.90 COP 2,874

51.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.25 COP 4,001

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.03 COP 3,284

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.91 COP 2,909

-1.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.75 COP 2,389

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.75 COP 5,575

27.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$9.15 COP 29.2K

32.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.83 COP 2,656

43.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.48 COP 4,734

67.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.72 COP 2,283

18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$30.29 COP 96.6K

37.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.75 COP 5,599

-18.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.53 COP 4,895

27.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$6.18 COP 19.7K

27.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$19.2K COP 61.2M

-8.31%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$27.8K COP 88.7M

-3.66%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$71.8 COP 228.9K

15.68%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$8.76 COP 27.9K

10.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$12.01 COP 38.3K

95.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$23.65 COP 75.5K

6.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$2.37 COP 7,562

66.67%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$234 COP 746.0K

35.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$2,476 COP 7.9M

141.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$65.0 COP 207.4K

-7.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$32.70 COP 104.3K

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$84.6 COP 269.9K

20.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$37.76 COP 120.5K

184.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$287 COP 915.5K

65.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$235 COP 748.2K

59.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$708 COP 2.3M

19.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$392 COP 1.3M

83.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,921 COP 6.1M

69.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,509 COP 4.8M

-4.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Duitama: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $287 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 $193 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 33% 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 $1,504 in Medellin and $1,129 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: $475 in Medellin versus $287 in Duitama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $753 in Duitama – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Duitama runs roughly 37% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $753 in Duitama versus $1,003 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 $753 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 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.