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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,424 in Effingham, IL versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,514 in Effingham, IL versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,604 in Effingham, IL versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Effingham, IL is roughly 41% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Effingham, IL 76% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 $14.84

$8.03 COP 25.1K

84.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.83 $45.83

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-5.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 $7.99

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-18.22%

Cappuccino

$4.80 $4.80

$2.91 COP 9,095

64.95%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$1.94 COP 6,074

12.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.52 COP 4,754

-27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.09 COP 9,663

64.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-11.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.36 COP 4,262

-30.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.39 COP 7,460

-4.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.70 COP 5,314

158.24%

Eggs

$3.76 $3.76

$2.87 COP 8,967

31.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$9.94 COP 31.1K

20.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.96 $10.96

$10.78 COP 33.7K

1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.54 $17.54

$14.73 COP 46.0K

19.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.09 COP 12.8K

26.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.57 COP 4,911

43.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.13 COP 6,642

109.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.21 COP 6,917

111.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.05 COP 6,396

7.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.50 COP 4,700

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.19 COP 3,718

65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.16 COP 3,619

98.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$3.90 COP 12.2K

180.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 $12.22

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-15.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.58 COP 4,948

32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.83 COP 8,836

59.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.17 COP 3,650

79.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.28 COP 4,014

247.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.09 COP 6,537

41.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.24 $17.24

$8.62 COP 26.9K

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.30 COP 4,056

-20.77%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

33.99%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-23.40%

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

$232 $232

$176 COP 550.1K

31.56%

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

$44.39 $44.39

$13.37 COP 41.8K

232.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.9 $64.9

$29.89 COP 93.4K

117.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.47 $41.47

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-7.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 $14.39

$6.20 COP 19.4K

132.10%

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

$1,348 $1,348

$793 COP 2.5M

69.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K $12.5K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

38.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.68 $45.68

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-46.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.94 $32.94

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-43.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 $63.4

$136 COP 425.9K

-53.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.7 $64.7

$103 COP 322.2K

-37.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,563 $1,563

$1,060 COP 3.3M

47.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 $1,300

$680 COP 2.1M

91.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 $2,496

$2,012 COP 6.3M

24.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,169 COP 3.7M

80.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 $2,871

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-30.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,710 $2,710

$1,701 COP 5.3M

59.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

10.94

-41.86%

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

Last update for Effingham, IL: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,563 in Effingham, IL and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Effingham, IL vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $303, 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

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

Effingham, IL and Medellin differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,424 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,636 in Effingham, IL and $2,574 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,563 in Effingham, IL versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Effingham, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,424 per month in Effingham, IL versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $2,424 in Effingham, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Effingham, 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 41% less than in Effingham, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.