Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibague and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibague and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $612 in Ibague versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $914 in Ibague versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,215 in Ibague versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Ibague costs roughly 40% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibague 54% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 COP 17.1K

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-19.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.81 COP 77.6K

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-33.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 COP 18.0K

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-28.49%

Cappuccino

$0.99 COP 3,512

$1.71 COP 6,093

-42.11%

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

$0.96 COP 3,415

$1.10 COP 3,910

-12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,327

$0.78 COP 2,771

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 COP 2,722

$1.68 COP 5,976

-54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 COP 7,578

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-30.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,041

$1.09 COP 3,892

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 COP 2,658

$1.26 COP 4,492

-40.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,677

$1.38 COP 4,905

-45.65%

Eggs

$1.93 COP 6,874

$2.19 COP 7,799

-11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.88 COP 17.4K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 COP 13.0K

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-34.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.93 COP 17.5K

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-44.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 COP 10.6K

$2.34 COP 8,319

27.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,624

$1.06 COP 3,764

-56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,639

$1.50 COP 5,355

-50.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,631

$1.38 COP 4,906

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 COP 1,659

$1.15 COP 4,097

-59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 COP 1,244

$1.16 COP 4,141

-69.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 COP 1,782

$0.89 COP 3,170

-43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 COP 1,547

$0.84 COP 2,986

-48.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$2.28 COP 8,116

27.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 COP 33.3K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-12.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,666

$1.20 COP 4,268

-60.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 COP 2,252

$2.47 COP 8,793

-74.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,557

$0.86 COP 3,045

-16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,050

$1.47 COP 5,245

-3.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 COP 5,324

$1.96 COP 6,984

-23.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 COP 8,508

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-69.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,332

$0.95 COP 3,397

-1.05%

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

$15.7K COP 55.7M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

-13.62%

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

$25.2K COP 89.8M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-4.67%

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

$47.84 COP 170.2K

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-41.84%

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

$6.14 COP 21.8K

$9.50 COP 33.8K

-35.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 COP 77.9K

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-9.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.85 COP 152.5K

$25.89 COP 92.1K

65.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 COP 13.7K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-2.04%

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

$59.6 COP 212.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-80.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,440 COP 8.7M

$5,965 COP 21.2M

-59.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 COP 210.3K

$58.7 COP 208.7K

0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 COP 147.1K

$32.35 COP 115.1K

27.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 COP 299.0K

$103 COP 365.1K

-18.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 COP 217.2K

$108 COP 385.8K

-43.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 COP 823.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-51.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 COP 518.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-61.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 COP 1.4M

$838 COP 3.0M

-53.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 COP 761.4K

$724 COP 2.6M

-70.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,250 COP 4.4M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-55.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 COP 3.1M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-27.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 COP 1.7M

$512 COP 1.8M

-7.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

13.43

-3.72%

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

Last update for Ibague: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Ibague and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 8% 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: $22.00 in Ibague vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $188 per month, with Ibague 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

Ibague vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibague is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $232 in Ibague versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $612 per month in Ibague versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $612 in Ibague versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibague but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ibague the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Ibague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.