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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,444 in Elgin, IL versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,486 in Elgin, IL versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,528 in Elgin, IL versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Elgin, IL is roughly 141% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elgin, IL is 82% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.13 $15.13

$5.99 COP 21.3K

152.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 $59.7

$32.86 COP 116.9K

81.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$7.09 COP 25.2K

43.30%

Cappuccino

$4.02 $4.02

$1.71 COP 6,093

135.09%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.10 COP 3,910

149.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.78 COP 2,771

151.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$1.68 COP 5,976

265.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.07 COP 10.9K

66.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.09 COP 3,892

-32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.26 COP 4,492

192.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$1.38 COP 4,905

275.36%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$2.19 COP 7,799

84.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$4.40 COP 15.7K

152.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.44 $13.44

$5.63 COP 20.0K

138.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$8.89 COP 31.6K

22.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.34 COP 8,319

-8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.06 COP 3,764

2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.50 COP 5,355

11.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.38 COP 4,906

96.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.15 COP 4,097

125.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.16 COP 4,141

149.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.89 COP 3,170

119.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.84 COP 2,986

134.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 $10.03

$2.28 COP 8,116

339.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.58 $15.58

$10.64 COP 37.9K

46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.20 COP 4,268

95.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.47 COP 8,793

88.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.86 COP 3,045

138.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.47 COP 5,245

214.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.96 COP 6,984

9.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.60 $27.60

$7.74 COP 27.5K

256.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.95 COP 3,397

-8.42%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

38.16%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-5.91%

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

$98.8 $98.8

$82.3 COP 292.7K

20.10%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$9.50 COP 33.8K

444.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.44 $49.44

$24.23 COP 86.2K

104.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.26 $43.26

$25.89 COP 92.1K

67.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 $15.19

$3.93 COP 14.0K

286.51%

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

$1,644 $1,644

$309 COP 1.1M

431.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K $24.9K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

317.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.93 $39.93

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-31.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.28 $49.28

$32.35 COP 115.1K

52.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 $99.1

$103 COP 365.1K

-3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$108 COP 385.8K

23.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 $1,570

$476 COP 1.7M

229.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$379 COP 1.3M

263.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

$838 COP 3.0M

213.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 $2,201

$724 COP 2.6M

204.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,628 $2,628

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-5.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,410 $2,410

$1,211 COP 4.3M

98.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,873 $3,873

$512 COP 1.8M

656.84%

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 Elgin, IL: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,570 in Elgin, IL and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elgin, IL pays 657% 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: $60.0 in Elgin, IL vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 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

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

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Elgin, IL pays 657% 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: $1,570 in Elgin, IL versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,644 in Elgin, 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 $60.0 in Elgin, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,444 in Elgin, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Elgin, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Elgin, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Elgin, IL and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Elgin, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.