Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Durbanville Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Durbanville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,018 in Durbanville, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,625 in Durbanville, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,232 in Durbanville, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Durbanville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Durbanville are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Durbanville 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$11.12 R 185

-46.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$44.32 R 738

-25.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.09 R 84.9

45.97%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.07 R 34.43

-20.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.82 R 13.69

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.55 R 9.08

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.17 R 36.20

-20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.50 R 41.73

27.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.11 R 18.50

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.05 R 17.44

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.85 R 30.89

-25.41%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.42 R 40.32

-9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.48 R 141

-47.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$5.29 R 88.1

9.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.54 R 126

18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.49 R 24.80

55.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.43 R 23.89

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.44 R 23.95

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.55 R 25.76

-12.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.07 R 17.83

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.19 R 19.90

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.08 R 18.04

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.94 R 15.67

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.06 R 51.0

-27.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$5.89 R 98.0

105.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.36 R 22.63

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.68 R 28.01

47.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$1.60 R 26.73

-46.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.38 R 23.03

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.93 R 15.50

109.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$4.50 R 74.9

75.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.20 R 20.02

-17.50%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.0K R 349.9K

-16.19%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$24.6K R 410.5K

8.74%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$101 R 1,687

-18.04%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$32.96 R 549

-70.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$40.86 R 681

-42.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$30.90 R 515

-18.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.66 R 111

-40.69%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$214 R 3,567

47.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$5,280 R 88.0K

13.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$54.1 R 901

10.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$33.36 R 556

-4.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$111 R 1,853

-8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$84.3 R 1,404

27.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$357 R 5,945

33.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$334 R 5,569

11.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$699 R 11.6K

21.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$700 R 11.7K

2.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$745 R 12.4K

338.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$729 R 12.1K

97.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,022 R 17.0K

-38.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.77

14.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Durbanville: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $357 in Durbanville. 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 64% higher in Durbanville, 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 $44.00 in Durbanville. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $186 in Durbanville – so Durbanville 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 Durbanville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durbanville costs about 2% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,527 in Durbanville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,018 in Durbanville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $214 in Durbanville. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Durbanville at $1,018. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durbanville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,018 in Durbanville. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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