Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,171 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,816 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,461 in Durban, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Durban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Durban is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.90 R 127

1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$39.25 R 632

23.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.07 R 97.8

55.19%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.85 R 45.83

3.16%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.18 R 19.02

57.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.93 R 14.92

56.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.54 R 40.87

26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.61 R 42.00

118.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.30 R 21.01

10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.07 R 17.24

124.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.56 R 25.08

8.97%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.44 R 39.31

18.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.54 R 137

17.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.32 R 85.6

87.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.14 R 115

98.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.97 R 31.69

102.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.95 R 31.37

-18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.04 R 32.89

5.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.63 R 26.26

41.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.56 R 25.08

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.44 R 23.25

4.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.25 R 20.18

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.20 R 19.30

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.65 R 58.8

5.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$4.95 R 79.7

183.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.50 R 24.20

14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.00 R 32.17

37.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.91 R 30.69

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$22.78 R 367

241.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.46 R 7.39

184.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.77 R 12.44

181.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$7.69 R 124

7.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.49 R 24.07

-8.72%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$36.5K R 588.1K

-24.77%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.5K R 538.9K

9.19%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$144 R 2,326

16.79%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$34.78 R 560

-60.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$41.26 R 664

-31.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$32.89 R 530

38.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$9.31 R 150

84.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.88 R 111

-3.34%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$324 R 5,218

147.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,024 R 129.2K

14.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$56.7 R 912

54.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.20 R 502

90.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$101 R 1,619

38.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$91.2 R 1,469

11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$490 R 7,898

118.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$390 R 6,275

67.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$833 R 13.4K

131.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$789 R 12.7K

32.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$924 R 14.9K

346.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$614 R 9,895

176.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,293 R 20.8K

-49.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.81

-7.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $490 in Durban. 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 97% higher in Durban, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $200 – making Durban the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,756 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,171 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 242% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Durban – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Durban. 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.