Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,581 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,855 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,129 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 155% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Plaines, IL is 93% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 $15.26

$5.99 COP 21.4K

154.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$32.86 COP 117.4K

141.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 $10.88

$7.09 COP 25.3K

53.46%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$1.71 COP 6,115

216.96%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.10 COP 3,924

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.78 COP 2,781

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$1.68 COP 5,997

255.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.07 COP 11.0K

127.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.09 COP 3,906

-15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.26 COP 4,508

222.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.38 COP 4,922

284.78%

Eggs

$4.12 $4.12

$2.19 COP 7,827

88.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$4.40 COP 15.7K

209.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$5.63 COP 20.1K

135.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.44 $16.44

$8.89 COP 31.8K

84.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.34 COP 8,349

91.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.06 COP 3,777

60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.50 COP 5,374

188.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.38 COP 4,924

223.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.15 COP 4,111

121.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.16 COP 4,155

133.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.89 COP 3,182

129.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.84 COP 2,997

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 $14.36

$2.28 COP 8,145

529.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$10.64 COP 38.0K

39.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.20 COP 4,284

92.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.47 COP 8,824

50.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.86 COP 3,056

125.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.47 COP 5,264

199.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.96 COP 7,009

-27.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.10 $25.10

$7.74 COP 27.6K

224.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.95 COP 3,409

14.74%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

37.91%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-4.99%

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

$182 $182

$82.3 COP 293.7K

121.51%

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

$50.1 $50.1

$9.50 COP 33.9K

427.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$24.23 COP 86.5K

172.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 $43.79

$25.89 COP 92.4K

69.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.44 $39.44

$19.00 COP 67.9K

107.58%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$3.93 COP 14.0K

274.05%

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

$1,653 $1,653

$309 COP 1.1M

434.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

313.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$58.7 COP 209.5K

11.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.84 $48.84

$32.35 COP 115.5K

50.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$103 COP 366.4K

-5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$108 COP 387.2K

23.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$476 COP 1.7M

236.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$379 COP 1.4M

264.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$838 COP 3.0M

213.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

$724 COP 2.6M

207.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,192 $3,192

$2,791 COP 10.0M

14.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$1,211 COP 4.3M

104.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,104 $6,104

$512 COP 1.8M

1092.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

13.43

-50.86%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 1093% 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: $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

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

Des Plaines, IL and Medellin differ by about 155% in total monthly costs ($2,581 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Des Plaines, IL pays 1093% 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: $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,653 in Des Plaines, IL versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,581 in Des Plaines, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Des Plaines, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.