Townleap

Cost of Living: Da Nang vs Medellin (2026)

Vietnam vs Colombia — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Da Nang
Medellin
$475/mo
Rent
$703/mo
66/100
Livability
50/100
50/100
Settler safety
29/100
65/100
Healthcare
71/100
PR path
5 yr
245 Mbps
Internet
79 Mbps
Freelance setup
No freelance status for foreigners
  • VAT-free under €4k
  • €200/yr accountant
Trabajador Independiente
  • No VAT exemption
  • 28% social
  • €300/yr accountant
Stripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated April 2026

TL;DRDa Nang is 32% cheaper on rent ($475/mo vs $703/mo). Da Nang is safer — homicide rate 1.5 vs 25.3 per 100k. Neither city will test your commitment to owning a coat.
Da Nang scores 66 to Medellin's 50 on livability — the gap is real. Medellin has its charms, but the numbers favor Da Nang.
Household
Da Nang
Metric
Medellin
$475/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
lower is better
$703/mo
$148/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$402/mo
$1,937
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
$2,156
50 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
29 / 100
1.5 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
25.3 / 100k
17.7 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
16.2 / 100k
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
46 / 100
34°C
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
26°C
20°C
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
17°C
245 Mbps
Internet speed
higher is better
79 Mbps
18.6 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
14.7 μg/m³
2.6 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
6.3 / 10
25/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
28/100
$16k
💼
GDP per capita
higher is better
$22k
3.6% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
6.6% · Noticeable price creep
66 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
higher is better
50 / 100
Grid reliability
higher is better
74/100 — Mostly stable
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
68/100
📋
Time to PR
lower is better
5 years
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Da Nang
$228/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Da Nang
1.5 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Medellin
6.3/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
34°C vs 26°C summers
🗣️
English
Da Nang
higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

28% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
10% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
11.2h
Shortest day
Dec
11.8h
13.1h
Longest day
Jun
12.5h

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

declining
Democracy trend
declining
stable
Inflation trend
improving
Industries
techtourismfashion-textilefintech
Startup ecosystem
active
Grid reliability
74/100
Time to PR
5 yrs
🇺🇸 Your visa
Easy
EU visa
Easy
RU visa
Easy
UA visa
Easy
Spouse works
Partner cannot work on this visa

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
22 wk
Gestational limit
24 wk

Legal on request with no strict statutory limit. Guidelines recommend up to 22 weeks.

Legal on request up to 24 weeks since 2022 Constitutional Court ruling.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

38/100
Rainbow Index
71/100
Not recognized
Marriage
Legal
Not allowed
Adoption
Joint adoption
No
Job protection
Yes
No
Hate crime law
Yes

Rainbow Index source: ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map (European cities) / Equaldex Equality Index (elsewhere) — two distinct scales

The Short Version

  • Rent is 32% cheaper in Da Nang ($475/mo vs $703/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are noticeably warmer in Da Nang (34°C vs 26°C).
  • Da Nang is safer by homicide rate (1.5 vs 25.3 per 100k).
  • Medellin scores higher on democracy (6.3 vs 2.6 / 10 EIU).

Da Nang vs Medellin — Common Questions

Is Da Nang cheaper than Medellin?

Da Nang is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $475/month there vs $703/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Da Nang or Medellin?

Da Nang is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Da Nang has a rate of 1.53 per 100,000 and Medellin has 25.27 per 100,000.

Should I move to Da Nang or Medellin?

Da Nang scores 66 to Medellin's 50 on livability — the gap is real. Medellin has its charms, but the numbers favor Da Nang. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Da Nang or Medellin?

Da Nang: Vietnam E-Visa (90-day) (moderate requirements, 90 days, multiple-entry — renew by re-applying). Medellin: Colombia Digital Nomad Visa (V-type) (easy to get, 2 years (renewable)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Da Nang or Medellin?

Da Nang is warmer in summer (34°C vs 26°C). Medellin has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

What's the cost of rent in Da Nang vs Medellin?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $475/month in Da Nang, $703/month in Medellin (Numbeo). That's 32% cheaper rent in Da Nang.

Is Da Nang or Medellin better for democracy and rule of law?

Medellin scores 6.3/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 2.6/10 for Da Nang. Both are functional democracies, though the gap matters if you're planning to stay long enough to care about local politics.

Is healthcare better in Da Nang or Medellin?

Medellin scores higher on our composite healthcare index (71/100 vs 65/100 for Da Nang). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

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