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: $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,292 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,445 in Des Plaines, IL versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 83% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Plaines, IL 128% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$8.03 COP 25.2K

144.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 $89.9

$48.26 COP 151.7K

86.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$9.77 COP 30.7K

33.37%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$2.91 COP 9,149

96.56%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$1.94 COP 6,110

38.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.52 COP 4,783

50.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$3.09 COP 9,721

124.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 $7.64

$5.74 COP 18.1K

33.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.36 COP 4,287

-26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.39 COP 7,505

53.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.70 COP 5,346

177.06%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.87 COP 9,021

40.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$9.94 COP 31.2K

52.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$10.78 COP 33.9K

24.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.88 $19.88

$14.73 COP 46.3K

34.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$4.09 COP 12.8K

22.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.57 COP 4,940

5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.13 COP 6,682

91.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.21 COP 6,959

120.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.05 COP 6,435

37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.50 COP 4,728

85.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.19 COP 3,740

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.16 COP 3,640

112.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 $10.52

$3.90 COP 12.2K

169.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$14.44 COP 45.4K

3.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.58 COP 4,978

60.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.83 COP 8,889

19.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.17 COP 3,672

72.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-23.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.28 COP 4,038

147.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.09 COP 6,576

-34.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.51 $22.51

$8.62 COP 27.1K

161.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.30 COP 4,080

-23.08%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

32.22%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-28.20%

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

$193 $193

$176 COP 553.4K

9.54%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$13.37 COP 42.0K

345.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$29.89 COP 94.0K

161.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 $122

$44.76 COP 140.7K

173.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.05 $40.05

$17.06 COP 53.6K

134.76%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$6.20 COP 19.5K

139.19%

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

$1,559 $1,559

$793 COP 2.5M

96.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

155.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-25.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$136 COP 428.4K

-24.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$103 COP 324.1K

17.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$680 COP 2.1M

138.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 $2,228

$1,169 COP 3.7M

90.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,275 $3,275

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-20.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$1,701 COP 5.3M

45.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,177 $6,177

$665 COP 2.1M

828.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

10.94

-41.68%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Des Plaines, IL pays 829% 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: $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $303 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 83% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 829% higher in Des Plaines, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Des Plaines, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL, a $2,500 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 83% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.