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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $521 in Duma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $821 in Duma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,122 in Duma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 98% more expensive than in Duma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Duma 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.90 SYP 717

4.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.28 SYP 3,315

19.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.34 SYP 648

37.45%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.57 SYP 190

9.55%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.17 SYP 142

-10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.73 SYP 88.8

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.65 SYP 200

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.53 SYP 307

25.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.98 SYP 119

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.59 SYP 71.7

120.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.75 SYP 212

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.92 SYP 233

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.14 SYP 382

39.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.79 SYP 946

-24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.49 SYP 1,396

-24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.86 SYP 104

165.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.72 SYP 209

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.04 SYP 126

47.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.95 SYP 116

42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.61 SYP 74.5

85.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.66 SYP 80.5

71.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.40 SYP 49.11

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.62 SYP 75.1

46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.08 SYP 374

-24.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.13 SYP 988

52.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.98 SYP 119

22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.85 SYP 225

34.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.99 SYP 120

43.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.22 SYP 149

57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.62 SYP 805

15.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$3.77 SYP 458

-73.74%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

-3.25%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.1K SYP 2.6M

26.11%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$103 SYP 12.5K

-21.19%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.58 SYP 1,043

15.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$54.8 SYP 6,661

-55.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.09 SYP 375

28.80%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$42.91 SYP 5,215

611.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,824 SYP 221.7K

232.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$29.66 SYP 3,605

95.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.49 SYP 3,098

26.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$44.19 SYP 5,370

127.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$55.6 SYP 6,753

93.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Duma: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Duma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $174 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 98% 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 $1,546 in Medellin and $782 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 11% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $521 in Duma – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $521 in Duma versus $1,031 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 $521 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 98% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.