Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Durango Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Durango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $701 in Durango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,142 in Durango, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,583 in Durango, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Durango, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Durango are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Durango 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.96 MX$121

-13.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$28.88 MX$500

13.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.22 MX$177

-30.63%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.88 MX$32.65

-9.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.16 MX$20.16

-5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.75 MX$12.92

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.34 MX$23.23

25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.70 MX$46.76

13.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.17 MX$20.27

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.33 MX$40.31

-45.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.18 MX$20.40

16.95%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.23 MX$38.61

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.71 MX$134

-42.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.46 MX$112

-12.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.69 MX$151

2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.47 MX$42.80

-5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.42 MX$24.61

-25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.72 MX$29.89

-12.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.00 MX$17.35

38.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.31 MX$22.62

-12.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.18 MX$20.43

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.77 MX$13.43

15.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.11 MX$19.16

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.67 MX$63.7

-37.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$14.37 MX$249

-25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.48 MX$25.69

-18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.61 MX$45.29

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.61 MX$10.53

40.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.12 MX$19.42

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.59 MX$27.55

23.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.77 MX$135

-0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.31 MX$22.63

-27.48%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$17.5K MX$303.8K

3.41%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$22.6K MX$392.0K

17.08%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$32.34 MX$560

154.33%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$20.62 MX$357

-53.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$26.43 MX$458

-8.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$18.70 MX$324

38.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$9.45 MX$164

101.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.60 MX$45.02

51.15%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$174 MX$3,016

77.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,297 MX$39.8K

159.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$48.47 MX$840

21.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.95 MX$450

24.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$63.7 MX$1,103

61.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$79.1 MX$1,370

37.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$287 MX$4,975

65.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$135 MX$2,331

181.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$499 MX$8,645

68.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$267 MX$4,633

170.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,959 MX$33.9K

42.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,085 MX$18.8K

11.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$557 MX$9,660

-8.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Durango: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $287 in Durango. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Durango, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Durango. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $227 in Durango – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Durango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $701 in Durango – roughly 44% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,052 in Durango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durango, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Durango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Durango, where all-in costs run around $701, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Durango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $701 in Durango to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Durango. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.