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 $2,588 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,126 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

The Dalles, OR costs about 150% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The Dalles, OR sits 93% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.79 $27.79

$5.92 COP 21.1K

369.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 $69.8

$32.75 COP 116.6K

113.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$7.20 COP 25.6K

67.64%

Cappuccino

$6.14 $6.14

$1.70 COP 6,054

261.18%

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

$3.29 $3.29

$1.10 COP 3,910

199.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.72 COP 2,569

270.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$1.67 COP 5,937

328.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.10 COP 11.0K

88.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.06 COP 3,755

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.25 COP 4,434

164.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.39 COP 4,951

210.07%

Eggs

$3.06 $3.06

$2.26 COP 8,053

35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 $17.56

$4.33 COP 15.4K

305.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.33 $10.33

$5.84 COP 20.8K

76.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 $10.85

$8.83 COP 31.4K

22.88%

Apples (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$2.24 COP 7,985

192.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.08 COP 3,827

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.53 COP 5,444

180.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.37 COP 4,880

216.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.13 COP 4,021

166.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.12 COP 3,980

136.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.85 COP 3,014

188.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.91 COP 3,235

123.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.38 $12.38

$2.33 COP 8,295

431.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$11.13 COP 39.6K

33.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.19 COP 4,249

63.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.37 COP 8,433

95.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.79 COP 2,798

146.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.28 $44.28

$41.13 COP 146.4K

7.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$1.44 COP 5,111

256.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.91 COP 6,803

-35.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.5 $51.5

$8.02 COP 28.5K

542.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.94 COP 3,337

24.47%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$17.9K COP 63.8M

98.81%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.8K COP 95.4M

-3.62%

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

$121 $121

$84.0 COP 298.8K

44.35%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$9.60 COP 34.2K

541.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$24.16 COP 86.0K

192.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 $43.58

$25.88 COP 92.1K

68.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 67.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 $11.22

$3.92 COP 13.9K

186.22%

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

$994 $994

$306 COP 1.1M

224.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$5,919 COP 21.1M

295.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.54 $39.54

$57.9 COP 206.1K

-31.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.62 $34.62

$31.82 COP 113.3K

8.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 $60.1

$99.9 COP 355.6K

-39.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 $80.7

$107 COP 381.3K

-24.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$487 COP 1.7M

234.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$368 COP 1.3M

271.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 $2,625

$826 COP 2.9M

217.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 $2,261

$716 COP 2.5M

215.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,643 $2,643

$2,925 COP 10.4M

-9.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 $2,290

$1,407 COP 5.0M

62.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,630 in The Dalles, OR versus $487 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 $70 in The Dalles, OR versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 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 150%, 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 $3,882 per month in The Dalles, OR and $1,550 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 $70.0 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 $2,588 in The Dalles, OR and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in The Dalles, OR at $2,588. 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.