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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,162 in Durbanville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,877 in Durbanville, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,592 in Durbanville, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Durbanville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Durbanville is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$12.66 R 204

-36.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$49.83 R 802

-3.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.97 R 96.2

57.79%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.46 R 39.63

19.51%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.92 R 14.83

102.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.65 R 10.40

124.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.47 R 39.70

29.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.78 R 44.69

105.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.42 R 22.81

1.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.26 R 20.31

90.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.26 R 36.46

-24.78%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.17 R 51.1

-8.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.78 R 141

14.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$7.33 R 118

36.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.84 R 158

44.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.91 R 30.81

108.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.00 R 32.15

-21.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.77 R 28.57

21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.10 R 33.84

9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.58 R 25.39

26.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.59 R 25.62

-5.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.41 R 22.68

-14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.18 R 18.96

8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.83 R 61.6

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$6.19 R 99.7

126.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.38 R 22.29

23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.18 R 35.16

25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.47 R 23.60

-14.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.64 R 10.32

104.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.52 R 24.45

42.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$5.28 R 85.0

57.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.58 R 25.39

-13.92%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$37.0K R 595.5K

-25.71%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.2K R 534.2K

10.16%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$121 R 1,946

39.62%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$32.02 R 516

-57.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$39.52 R 636

-28.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$36.19 R 583

26.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$9.56 R 154

-30.44%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$268 R 4,313

199.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$6,795 R 109.4K

35.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$59.7 R 961

46.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$33.77 R 544

75.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$123 R 1,984

12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$111 R 1,782

-7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$430 R 6,931

148.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$372 R 5,989

75.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$788 R 12.7K

144.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$788 R 12.7K

33.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$870 R 14.0K

373.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$696 R 11.2K

143.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,088 R 17.5K

-39.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.02

-0.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Durbanville: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $430 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 66% higher in Durbanville, 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 $50.0 in Durbanville. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $232 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

Medellin costs about 41% more than Durbanville, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,744 in Durbanville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durbanville, 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 $1,162 in Durbanville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $268 in Durbanville. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Durbanville, where all-in costs run around $1,162, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Durbanville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Durbanville costs $1,162 versus $1,641 in Medellin. 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 Durbanville. 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.