Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Duma Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Duma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $650 in Duma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,027 in Duma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,404 in Duma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 159% more expensive than in Duma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.11 SYP 1,228

-20.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$44.95 SYP 5,461

6.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.82 SYP 829

45.01%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.63 SYP 441

-13.77%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.28 SYP 277

-16.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.84 SYP 103

79.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.88 SYP 229

65.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.98 SYP 362

92.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.06 SYP 129

35.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.41 SYP 50.2

507.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.64 SYP 200

7.93%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.57 SYP 191

88.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$3.98 SYP 483

153.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.63 SYP 684

79.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.62 SYP 1,655

4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.07 SYP 130

286.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.41 SYP 171

14.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.15 SYP 139

95.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.05 SYP 128

114.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.79 SYP 95.8

158.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.79 SYP 96.6

94.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.44 SYP 53.4

165.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.66 SYP 80.2

98.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.80 SYP 341

39.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.11 SYP 742

129.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.09 SYP 133

59.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.83 SYP 344

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.01 SYP 123

29.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.49 SYP 182

46.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$7.82 SYP 950

11.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$3.67 SYP 446

-62.67%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

84.29%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

88.05%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$141 SYP 17.1K

25.78%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$9.38 SYP 1,139

47.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$45.81 SYP 5,566

-35.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.46 SYP 664

21.79%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$65.5 SYP 7,959

1140.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,790 SYP 217.5K

413.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$29.12 SYP 3,538

207.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$40.26 SYP 4,891

46.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$59.6 SYP 7,238

132.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$57.2 SYP 6,949

78.55%

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 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

14.25

-23.23%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Duma: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $45.00 in Duma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $169 per month, with Duma 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 Duma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duma wins on cost – living expenses run 159% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duma the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $975 in Duma 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 80% 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 $650 in Duma – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Duma versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Duma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duma delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $650 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duma hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Duma 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 Duma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.