Cost of Living Comparison Between Crystal Lake, IL and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Crystal Lake, IL and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,996 per month in Crystal Lake, IL vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,097 per month in Crystal Lake, IL vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,197 per month in Crystal Lake, IL vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Crystal Lake, IL costs about 75% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Crystal Lake, IL and Medellin sit above the global median – Crystal Lake, IL by 118%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.37 $20.37

$8.03 COP 25.1K

153.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 $66.7

$48.26 COP 150.8K

38.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.04 $13.04

$9.77 COP 30.5K

33.47%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$2.91 COP 9,095

90.72%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$1.94 COP 6,074

65.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.52 COP 4,754

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$3.09 COP 9,663

128.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 $7.57

$5.74 COP 17.9K

31.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.36 COP 4,262

-27.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.39 COP 7,460

53.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$1.70 COP 5,314

183.53%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$2.87 COP 8,967

36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.56 $15.56

$9.94 COP 31.1K

56.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.76 $13.76

$10.78 COP 33.7K

27.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.81 $20.81

$14.73 COP 46.0K

41.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.09 COP 12.8K

21.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.57 COP 4,911

3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.13 COP 6,642

144.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.21 COP 6,917

126.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.05 COP 6,396

34.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.50 COP 4,700

115.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.19 COP 3,718

79.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.16 COP 3,619

111.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 $10.93

$3.90 COP 12.2K

180.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.62 $15.62

$14.44 COP 45.1K

8.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.58 COP 4,948

68.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.83 COP 8,836

54.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.17 COP 3,650

80.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.28 COP 4,014

206.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.09 COP 6,537

-2.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.44 $44.44

$8.62 COP 26.9K

415.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.30 COP 4,056

-23.85%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

32.37%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-28.98%

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

$268 $268

$176 COP 550.1K

52.46%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$13.37 COP 41.8K

292.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.3 $81.3

$29.89 COP 93.4K

171.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.59 $42.59

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-4.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$6.20 COP 19.4K

144.03%

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

$1,754 $1,754

$793 COP 2.5M

121.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

158.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 $65.1

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-12.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$136 COP 425.9K

-20.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$103 COP 322.2K

19.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$1,060 COP 3.3M

51.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 $1,617

$680 COP 2.1M

137.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,482 $2,482

$2,012 COP 6.3M

23.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,173 $2,173

$1,169 COP 3.7M

85.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,443 $2,443

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-40.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,738 $2,738

$1,701 COP 5.3M

60.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

10.94

-42.78%

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

Last update for Crystal Lake, IL: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,605 in Crystal Lake, IL versus $1,060 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 $67.0 in Crystal Lake, IL versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $446 vs $303 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,996 in Crystal Lake, IL, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 75% apart. Crystal Lake, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,494 per month in Crystal Lake, IL and $2,574 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 $67.0 in Crystal Lake, IL and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Crystal Lake, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Crystal Lake, IL at $2,996. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Crystal Lake, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,716 in Medellin to $2,996 in Crystal Lake, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Crystal Lake, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.