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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $687 in Durango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,116 in Durango, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,545 in Durango, rent included.

Medellin costs about 50% more than Durango, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Durango are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Durango 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.35 MX$129

-16.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$29.64 MX$520

9.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.01 MX$176

-26.67%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.81 MX$31.69

-4.97%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.12 MX$19.64

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.75 MX$13.16

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.30 MX$22.73

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.68 MX$46.99

18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.17 MX$20.49

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.33 MX$40.80

-44.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.17 MX$20.58

19.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.24 MX$39.24

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.70 MX$135

-42.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.68 MX$117

-11.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.61 MX$151

0.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.47 MX$43.41

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.44 MX$25.24

-22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.74 MX$30.46

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.01 MX$17.64

33.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.29 MX$22.55

-12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.14 MX$19.98

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.81 MX$14.27

4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.11 MX$19.38

-18.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.49 MX$61.2

-32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$14.13 MX$248

-12.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.44 MX$25.25

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.67 MX$46.80

-6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.60 MX$10.50

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.10 MX$19.23

29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.53 MX$26.82

25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.98 MX$140

-4.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.32 MX$23.13

-25.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.1K MX$300.6K

5.20%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.5K MX$395.4K

18.11%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$32.36 MX$568

149.72%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$21.04 MX$369

-52.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$26.06 MX$457

-7.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$18.57 MX$326

35.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$9.16 MX$161

109.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.60 MX$45.58

53.08%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$172 MX$3,018

77.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,304 MX$40.4K

162.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.80 MX$821

24.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.60 MX$467

21.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$63.7 MX$1,117

58.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$79.6 MX$1,397

35.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$294 MX$5,157

62.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$133 MX$2,332

182.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$502 MX$8,800

68.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$263 MX$4,617

177.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,863 MX$32.7K

72.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,221 MX$21.4K

12.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$562 MX$9,866

9.66%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Durango: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $294 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 10% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Durango. Groceries tell a different story – $193 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $687 in Durango – roughly 50% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,031 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 $30.00 in Durango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% 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 $687, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $687 in Durango to $1,031 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.