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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $519 in Duma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $796 in Duma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,074 in Duma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 95% more expensive than Duma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Duma 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.98 SYP 661

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$27.51 SYP 3,040

19.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.49 SYP 606

29.14%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.56 SYP 172

9.62%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.13 SYP 125

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.69 SYP 76.0

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.62 SYP 179

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.47 SYP 273

24.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.02 SYP 113

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.60 SYP 65.9

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.70 SYP 188

-18.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.86 SYP 206

17.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.01 SYP 332

46.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.72 SYP 853

-27.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$11.26 SYP 1,244

-21.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.88 SYP 97.0

165.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.72 SYP 190

-38.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.03 SYP 114

45.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.96 SYP 106

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.62 SYP 68.0

85.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.66 SYP 72.8

75.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.38 SYP 41.55

134.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.62 SYP 68.9

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.02 SYP 334

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.94 SYP 656

79.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.02 SYP 112

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.84 SYP 203

34.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.99 SYP 109

48.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.23 SYP 136

59.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.38 SYP 705

21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$3.76 SYP 415

-74.73%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

-2.64%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.0K SYP 2.3M

26.05%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$100 SYP 11.1K

-17.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.60 SYP 950

10.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$55.2 SYP 6,102

-56.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.02 SYP 334

30.13%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$43.19 SYP 4,773

616.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,854 SYP 204.8K

221.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$29.12 SYP 3,218

101.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.61 SYP 2,830

26.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$45.12 SYP 4,986

127.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$56.0 SYP 6,184

93.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.75

-2.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Duma: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Duma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $168 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 95% 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 $1,519 in Medellin and $778 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 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $519 in Duma – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Duma versus $1,013 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 $519 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 95% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.