Cost of Living Comparison Between Carbondale, IL and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Carbondale, IL and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Carbondale, IL versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,513 in Carbondale, IL versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in Carbondale, IL versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Carbondale, IL is roughly 141% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Carbondale, IL is 82% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.68 $16.68

$5.99 COP 21.5K

178.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.83 $31.83

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-3.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.09 COP 25.5K

13.96%

Cappuccino

$2.92 $2.92

$1.71 COP 6,154

70.76%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$1.10 COP 3,949

77.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.78 COP 2,798

94.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.68 COP 6,035

166.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.07 COP 11.0K

74.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.09 COP 3,930

-25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.26 COP 4,536

130.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.38 COP 4,953

226.81%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$2.19 COP 7,876

85.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.31 $11.31

$4.40 COP 15.8K

157.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 $10.89

$5.63 COP 20.2K

93.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 $15.60

$8.89 COP 32.0K

75.48%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$2.34 COP 8,401

167.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.06 COP 3,801

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$1.50 COP 5,408

264.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.38 COP 4,955

258.70%

Potato (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.15 COP 4,137

346.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.16 COP 4,181

205.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.89 COP 3,202

164.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.84 COP 3,016

189.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 $7.77

$2.28 COP 8,196

240.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 $13.81

$10.64 COP 38.2K

29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.20 COP 4,311

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.47 COP 8,880

-22.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.86 COP 3,075

127.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.47 COP 5,297

38.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.96 COP 7,053

-31.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 $19.83

$7.74 COP 27.8K

156.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.95 COP 3,430

-11.58%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

79.67%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

2.19%

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

$119 $119

$82.3 COP 295.6K

45.03%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$9.50 COP 34.1K

525.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.64 $29.64

$24.23 COP 87.1K

22.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.76 $43.76

$25.89 COP 93.0K

69.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.67 $12.67

$3.93 COP 14.1K

222.39%

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

$1,545 $1,545

$309 COP 1.1M

399.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.7K $27.7K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

363.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.73 $39.73

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-32.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.02 $32.02

$32.35 COP 116.2K

-1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 $75.2

$103 COP 368.7K

-26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$108 COP 389.6K

28.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$476 COP 1.7M

237.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 $1,333

$379 COP 1.4M

251.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,649 $2,649

$838 COP 3.0M

216.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 $2,246

$724 COP 2.6M

210.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$863 $863

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-69.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$833 $833

$1,211 COP 4.4M

-31.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,781 $3,781

$512 COP 1.8M

638.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

13.43

-51.38%

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

Last update for Carbondale, IL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Carbondale, IL and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carbondale, IL pays 639% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Carbondale, IL vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Carbondale, IL vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 141% lower than in Carbondale, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Carbondale, IL pays 639% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Carbondale, IL versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Carbondale, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,442 per month in Carbondale, IL versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,442 in Carbondale, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Carbondale, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Carbondale, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.