OBJECTIVES: Develop a cost-utility assessment with diabetes mellitus type 2 patients comparing detemir to glargine and NPH insulin in Colombia. METHODS: A Markov chain model was adapted to incorporate the quality life measures to the disease events, using the startup of NPH insulin, detemir or glargine to the development of macro and microvascular events or death, in a 5-year time horizon and for a 10.000 patients cohorts, with different levels of glycosylated hemoglobin. By the other hand, quality life data were derived from international research and used as utility measure in each event. Costs were estimated from the 2014 health system transactions values in Colombian pesos. Furthermore, additional parameters as the effectiveness information and hypoglycemic events were updated to 2014. The research included a Monte Carlo model for sensibility analysis and a budget impact analysis. RESULTS: Detemir taken at a standard daily dose of 20IU present less macro and microvascular events compare with other drugs. The QALYs average for determir harm were 2,60  to 2,54 using glargine and 2,53 using NPH insulin. The final average-cost of detemir was $ COP 88.720,67 less per patient tan glargine, and $ COP 75.252,50 less than NPH insulin. Detemir dominance remained through the probabilistic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Under the analyzed conditions determir would be dominant compare to using NPH or glangine, from the QALYs viewpoint and in a 5-year time horizon.