🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $800 in Ibadan versus $1,031 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Ibadan versus $1,599 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,182 in Ibadan versus $2,167 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Ibadan costs roughly 22% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Ibadan40% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.82₦2,509
$6.16COP 20.1K
-70.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.21₦38.8K
$32.60COP 106.1K
-13.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.42₦7,453
$7.34COP 23.9K
-26.16%
Cappuccino
$1.00₦1,376
$1.72COP 5,599
-41.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29₦403
$1.05COP 3,420
-72.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17₦228
$0.77COP 2,515
-77.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.81₦1,115
$1.69COP 5,487
-52.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26₦1,737
$3.17COP 10.3K
-60.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.29₦3,148
$1.05COP 3,423
118.10%
White Bread(500g)
$1.15₦1,586
$1.30COP 4,236
-11.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.11₦2,898
$1.40COP 4,544
50.71%
Eggs
$1.76₦2,426
$2.16COP 7,046
-18.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.27₦5,877
$4.39COP 14.3K
-2.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.16₦5,727
$5.88COP 19.1K
-29.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.02₦5,530
$8.64COP 28.1K
-53.47%
Apples(1kg)
$2.43₦3,338
$2.28COP 7,425
6.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.17₦1,605
$1.11COP 3,603
5.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.23₦1,695
$1.53COP 4,982
-19.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.69₦2,319
$1.35COP 4,410
25.19%
Potato(1kg)
$2.15₦2,963
$1.13COP 3,674
90.27%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51₦2,078
$1.13COP 3,692
33.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98₦1,342
$0.85COP 2,753
15.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33₦448
$0.91COP 2,975
-63.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.26₦1,727
$2.34COP 7,629
-46.15%
Wine(Bottle)
$0.94₦1,287
$12.37COP 40.3K
-92.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.67₦924
$1.20COP 3,909
-44.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88₦1,207
$2.49COP 8,104
-64.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32₦445
$0.84COP 2,727
-61.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$35.59₦49.0K
$40.57COP 132.1K
-12.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.20₦1,653
$1.42COP 4,623
-15.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05₦1,438
$1.92COP 6,235
-45.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.68₦5,062
$7.66COP 24.9K
-51.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.54₦743
$0.99COP 3,223
-45.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$9,612₦13.2M
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
-46.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.4K₦19.8M
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
-45.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$21.37₦29.4K
$80.8COP 263.1K
-73.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.64₦10.5K
$9.95COP 32.4K
-23.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.19₦27.8K
$24.18COP 78.7K
-16.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.06₦41.3K
$25.08COP 81.6K
19.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.15COP 62.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.58₦3,555
$3.98COP 13.0K
-35.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$49.94₦68.7K
$305COP 993.4K
-83.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,865₦2.6M
$6,059COP 19.7M
-69.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.39₦25.3K
$58.1COP 189.2K
-68.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.84₦34.2K
$32.20COP 104.8K
-22.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$43.22₦59.5K
$101COP 327.9K
-57.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.12₦41.4K
$108COP 350.8K
-72.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$449₦617.8K
$477COP 1.6M
-5.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$423₦581.7K
$376COP 1.2M
12.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,235₦1.7M
$845COP 2.7M
46.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,282₦1.8M
$730COP 2.4M
75.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$835₦1.1M
$3,215COP 10.5M
-74.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$29.39₦40.4K
$1,372COP 4.5M
-97.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ibadan
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$54.9₦75.5K
$617COP 2.0M
-91.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.33
13.43
21.59%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ibadan: July 12, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Ibadan and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 1024% 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: $28.00 in Ibadan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $193 per month, with Ibadan 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
Ibadan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ibadan or Medellin?
Ibadan wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ibadan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ibadan or in Medellin?
On paper, salaries run 1024% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ibadan compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $449 in Ibadan versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ibadan and in Medellin?
Childcare runs $49.94 in Ibadan versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ibadan or in Medellin?
Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ibadan or in Medellin?
At $800 in Ibadan versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ibadan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ibadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ibadan or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ibadan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $800 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ibadan hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ibadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.