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 $2,936 per month in Crystal Lake, IL vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,996 per month in Crystal Lake, IL vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,057 per month in Crystal Lake, IL vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Crystal Lake, IL costs about 188% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Crystal Lake, IL sits 120% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.13 $15.13

$5.93 COP 19.0K

155.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$33.12 COP 106.0K

129.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$7.12 COP 22.8K

54.21%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$1.71 COP 5,457

206.43%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.05 COP 3,356

148.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.72 COP 2,311

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$1.72 COP 5,502

239.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.17 COP 10.2K

124.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.06 COP 3,408

-17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.31 COP 4,192

193.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$1.33 COP 4,256

301.50%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$2.28 COP 7,298

79.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$4.42 COP 14.1K

208.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.47 $13.47

$5.92 COP 18.9K

127.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 $16.29

$8.64 COP 27.7K

88.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.34 COP 7,504

91.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.10 COP 3,527

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.47 COP 4,698

300.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.38 COP 4,415

236.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.17 COP 3,754

119.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.17 COP 3,744

145.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.90 COP 2,890

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.84 COP 2,693

142.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$2.33 COP 7,449

321.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.79 $15.79

$11.92 COP 38.1K

32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.15 COP 3,673

100.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.42 COP 7,749

96.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.84 COP 2,687

144.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.41 COP 4,517

215.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.91 COP 6,127

15.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.06 $42.06

$7.83 COP 25.0K

437.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.94 COP 3,020

-7.45%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

40.76%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-6.67%

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

$218 $218

$83.3 COP 266.4K

161.84%

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

$51.8 $51.8

$9.66 COP 30.9K

435.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$24.22 COP 77.5K

214.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 $42.54

$25.22 COP 80.7K

68.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$14.82 $14.82

$4.07 COP 13.0K

264.13%

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

$1,653 $1,653

$307 COP 981.2K

439.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

314.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 $67.8

$60.0 COP 191.9K

13.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.01 $49.01

$32.65 COP 104.5K

50.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$101 COP 323.5K

1.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$108 COP 345.7K

20.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$476 COP 1.5M

236.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 $1,580

$379 COP 1.2M

317.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,629 $2,629

$816 COP 2.6M

222.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,233 $2,233

$707 COP 2.3M

215.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 $2,988

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-6.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,580 $2,580

$1,446 COP 4.6M

78.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

13.43

-51.23%

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

Last update for Crystal Lake, IL: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,600 in Crystal Lake, IL versus $476 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 $76.0 in Crystal Lake, IL versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $192 – 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: $2,936 in Crystal Lake, IL, $1,018 in Medellin – roughly 188% apart. Crystal Lake, IL costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,404 per month in Crystal Lake, IL and $1,527 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 $76.0 in Crystal Lake, IL and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 118% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Crystal Lake, IL at $2,936. 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 $1,018 in Medellin to $2,936 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.