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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $755 in Duitama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,127 in Duitama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,500 in Duitama.

Living in Medellin is roughly 37% more expensive than Duitama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Duitama 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$3.18 COP 11.6K

86.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$19.73 COP 71.8K

65.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$6.59 COP 24.0K

9.26%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$1.29 COP 4,700

31.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.70 COP 2,560

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.56 COP 2,019

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.42 COP 5,150

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$2.05 COP 7,438

51.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.17 COP 4,270

-9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.11 COP 4,024

12.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.20 COP 4,355

15.83%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$2.22 COP 8,057

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$4.09 COP 14.9K

5.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$5.87 COP 21.4K

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$7.47 COP 27.2K

18.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.50 COP 9,077

-10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.22 COP 4,450

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$0.84 COP 3,063

82.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$0.86 COP 3,136

59.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$1.21 COP 4,393

-6.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.02 COP 3,718

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.92 COP 3,332

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.73 COP 2,672

24.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$1.67 COP 6,075

39.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$8.22 COP 29.9K

35.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$0.84 COP 3,044

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$1.51 COP 5,480

56.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.67 COP 2,437

17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$30.20 COP 109.9K

36.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$1.73 COP 6,304

-16.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$1.54 COP 5,609

24.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$5.98 COP 21.7K

34.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.94 COP 3,412

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$19.4K COP 70.5M

-7.52%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$27.5K COP 100.0M

-2.54%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$72.2 COP 262.4K

16.37%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$8.90 COP 32.4K

7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$11.99 COP 43.6K

101.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$23.68 COP 86.1K

9.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$2.40 COP 8,729

63.33%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$240 COP 873.8K

27.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$2,469 COP 9.0M

139.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$66.0 COP 239.8K

-12.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$32.22 COP 117.2K

-1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$84.2 COP 306.3K

18.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$38.15 COP 138.8K

180.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$277 COP 1.0M

75.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$241 COP 877.4K

52.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$711 COP 2.6M

16.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$388 COP 1.4M

84.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,858 COP 6.8M

57.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,296 COP 4.7M

8.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Duitama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $277 in Duitama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Duitama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $170 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 37% 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 $1,550 in Medellin and $1,132 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: $487 in Medellin versus $277 in Duitama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $755 in Duitama – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Duitama runs roughly 36% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $755 in Duitama versus $1,034 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 $755 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 37% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.