Cost of Living Comparison Between The Dalles, OR and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between The Dalles, OR and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,642 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,846 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,049 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

The Dalles, OR costs about 160% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The Dalles, OR sits 97% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.71 $27.71

$5.95 COP 20.6K

365.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 $70.9

$33.33 COP 115.1K

112.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$7.23 COP 25.0K

62.66%

Cappuccino

$6.14 $6.14

$1.63 COP 5,629

276.69%

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

$3.44 $3.44

$1.09 COP 3,782

215.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.73 COP 2,522

268.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 $6.86

$1.74 COP 6,003

294.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.23 COP 11.2K

89.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.05 COP 3,625

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.29 COP 4,469

151.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.32 COP 4,570

215.15%

Eggs

$2.94 $2.94

$2.27 COP 7,846

29.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.64 $17.64

$4.35 COP 15.0K

305.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.66 $10.66

$5.88 COP 20.3K

81.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 $11.10

$8.61 COP 29.7K

28.92%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$2.25 COP 7,763

200.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.07 COP 3,695

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.52 COP 5,267

185.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.42 COP 4,914

217.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.17 COP 4,042

149.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.17 COP 4,035

134.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.89 COP 3,064

178.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.90 COP 3,114

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.55 $12.55

$2.25 COP 7,757

457.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.04 COP 38.1K

33.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.14 COP 3,936

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.38 COP 8,216

92.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.84 COP 2,886

134.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.51 $44.51

$41.95 COP 144.9K

6.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.41 COP 4,861

261.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.90 COP 6,567

-35.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 $52.9

$7.75 COP 26.8K

581.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.01 COP 3,473

10.89%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$17.6K COP 60.7M

102.22%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.5K COP 91.5M

-2.87%

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

$121 $121

$83.7 COP 289.1K

44.51%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$9.45 COP 32.6K

539.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$24.11 COP 83.3K

185.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.25 $43.25

$25.31 COP 87.4K

70.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 $11.01

$4.10 COP 14.2K

168.54%

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

$995 $995

$312 COP 1.1M

218.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,993 COP 20.7M

285.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.26 $40.26

$58.0 COP 200.5K

-30.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 $34.69

$32.56 COP 112.5K

6.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 $60.4

$99.6 COP 344.1K

-39.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 $79.6

$109 COP 375.0K

-26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$482 COP 1.7M

228.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 $1,369

$379 COP 1.3M

260.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$837 COP 2.9M

214.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,232 $2,232

$723 COP 2.5M

208.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 $2,762

$2,840 COP 9.8M

-2.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,234 $2,234

$1,223 COP 4.2M

82.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

13.43

-50.41%

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

Last update for The Dalles, OR: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,584 in The Dalles, OR versus $482 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 $71.0 in The Dalles, OR versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $190 – making Medellin 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

The Dalles, OR vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – The Dalles, OR is pricier by about 160%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,963 per month in The Dalles, OR and $1,525 in Medellin. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in The Dalles, OR and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,642 in The Dalles, OR and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in The Dalles, OR at $2,642. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Dalles, OR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, The Dalles, OR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.