Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Durres Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Durres

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,043 in Durres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,573 in Durres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,103 in Durres.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Durres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Durres 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 19.1K

$9.48 ALL 766

-37.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 106.5K

$35.56 ALL 2,874

-7.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 24.0K

$7.27 ALL 587

2.20%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,343

$1.96 ALL 158

-15.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,559

$1.58 ALL 127

-30.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,523

$0.79 ALL 63.7

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,553

$2.43 ALL 196

-29.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$3.34 ALL 270

-4.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,565

$2.05 ALL 165

-46.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,066

$0.92 ALL 74.0

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,463

$2.01 ALL 163

-31.34%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,038

$3.01 ALL 243

-27.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.5K

$10.48 ALL 847

-57.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.7K

$7.64 ALL 618

-24.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 29.0K

$13.13 ALL 1,061

-31.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,499

$1.16 ALL 93.6

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,440

$2.44 ALL 197

-56.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,899

$1.28 ALL 104

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,381

$1.15 ALL 92.6

18.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,645

$1.10 ALL 88.8

2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,785

$0.99 ALL 80.2

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,912

$1.15 ALL 92.8

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,897

$0.62 ALL 50.5

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,218

$4.12 ALL 333

-45.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 39.2K

$11.00 ALL 889

10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,841

$1.66 ALL 134

-28.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,020

$1.82 ALL 147

36.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,758

$0.49 ALL 39.77

73.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

$18.09 ALL 1,461

130.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,575

$3.60 ALL 291

-60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,302

$2.11 ALL 171

-7.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.5K

$17.45 ALL 1,410

-54.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,200

$2.11 ALL 170

-53.08%

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

$17.6K COP 56.9M

$15.4K ALL 1.2M

13.95%

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

$26.8K COP 86.6M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

4.22%

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

$83.0 COP 268.2K

$68.3 ALL 5,516

21.59%

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

$9.70 COP 31.3K

$17.80 ALL 1,439

-45.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 76.0K

$15.74 ALL 1,272

49.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

$37.70 ALL 3,046

-33.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

$58.9 ALL 4,758

-67.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.8K

$7.03 ALL 568

-43.81%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$174 ALL 14.1K

81.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.3M

$4,370 ALL 353.1K

36.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 193.8K

$38.89 ALL 3,142

54.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 102.8K

$39.80 ALL 3,216

-20.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 328.5K

$85.5 ALL 6,906

18.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 347.2K

$158 ALL 12.7K

-31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$415 ALL 33.6K

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$322 ALL 26.0K

16.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$593 ALL 47.9K

43.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$423 ALL 34.2K

70.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

$1,792 ALL 144.8K

82.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

$1,156 ALL 93.4K

24.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$949 ALL 76.7K

-34.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.33

151.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Durres: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $415 in Durres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 52% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Durres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $241 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Durres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Durres. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Durres. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $415 in Durres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,043 in Durres – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 130% less than in Durres. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,043 in Durres, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Durres. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Durres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.