🙂A single person spends $768 per month in Nam Dinh vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,261 per month in Nam Dinh vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Nam Dinh vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Nam Dinh is about 53% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Nam Dinh sits 44% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.00₫51.7K
$8.04COP 24.8K
-75.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.09₫546.7K
$48.29COP 148.6K
-56.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.46₫115.6K
$9.42COP 29.0K
-52.65%
Cappuccino
$1.90₫49.2K
$2.94COP 9,040
-35.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49₫12.7K
$1.86COP 5,735
-73.66%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30₫7,792
$1.46COP 4,479
-79.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.14₫29.5K
$3.21COP 9,882
-64.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93₫50.1K
$5.71COP 17.6K
-66.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48₫38.3K
$1.44COP 4,428
2.78%
White Bread(500g)
$1.03₫26.8K
$2.40COP 7,389
-57.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.79₫20.5K
$1.70COP 5,228
-53.53%
Eggs
$1.48₫38.4K
$2.89COP 8,896
-48.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.25₫265.8K
$10.06COP 30.9K
1.89%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.85₫99.8K
$9.97COP 30.7K
-61.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.83₫254.7K
$14.20COP 43.7K
-30.77%
Apples(1kg)
$3.16₫81.9K
$3.98COP 12.3K
-20.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07₫27.7K
$1.58COP 4,878
-32.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.38₫35.7K
$2.15COP 6,624
-35.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.14₫29.5K
$2.30COP 7,078
-50.43%
Potato(1kg)
$0.94₫24.3K
$2.00COP 6,169
-53.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.09₫28.3K
$1.51COP 4,646
-27.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.55₫14.3K
$1.20COP 3,701
-54.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51₫13.2K
$1.28COP 3,946
-60.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.37₫35.6K
$3.84COP 11.8K
-64.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.46₫323.1K
$14.01COP 43.1K
-11.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87₫22.4K
$1.71COP 5,256
-49.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64₫42.6K
$2.74COP 8,440
-40.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32₫8,266
$1.25COP 3,834
-74.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.12₫158.7K
$77.9COP 239.7K
-92.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.78₫20.2K
$1.31COP 4,016
-40.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.59₫15.4K
$2.17COP 6,680
-72.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.37₫61.4K
$8.29COP 25.5K
-71.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.90₫23.3K
$1.36COP 4,172
-33.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.3K₫810.6M
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
13.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.3K₫811.2M
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
-14.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.9₫2.1M
$169COP 519.2K
-51.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.17₫134.0K
$13.57COP 41.8K
-61.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.70₫225.5K
$28.32COP 87.2K
-69.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.74₫511.6K
$45.71COP 140.7K
-56.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.42₫218.2K
$17.22COP 53.0K
-51.10%
Cinema Ticket
$4.34₫112.6K
$6.65COP 20.5K
-34.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$160₫4.1M
$803COP 2.5M
-80.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$27.7K₫719.2M
$9,190COP 28.3M
201.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.76₫1.3M
$87.4COP 268.8K
-43.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.08₫676.1K
$59.4COP 182.7K
-56.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.7₫2.1M
$139COP 427.5K
-40.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7₫2.2M
$102COP 314.0K
-18.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$398₫10.3M
$1,071COP 3.3M
-62.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$314₫8.1M
$653COP 2.0M
-51.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$786₫20.4M
$1,925COP 5.9M
-59.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$671₫17.4M
$1,048COP 3.2M
-35.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,674₫69.3M
$4,123COP 12.7M
-35.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,406₫36.4M
$1,697COP 5.2M
-17.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nam Dinh
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$655COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.45
10.94
-22.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Nam Dinh: September 6, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Nam Dinh versus $1,071 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Nam Dinh versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $300 – making Nam Dinh 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
Nam Dinh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Nam Dinh?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 114%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,152 per month in Nam Dinh and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nam Dinh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Nam Dinh or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Nam Dinh and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nam Dinh and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $768 in Nam Dinh and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nam Dinh or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nam Dinh, where all-in costs run around $768, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Nam Dinh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nam Dinh or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nam Dinh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nam Dinh or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nam Dinh. 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.