Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibarra and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibarra and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $634 in Ibarra versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $974 in Ibarra versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,314 in Ibarra versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Ibarra costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibarra 52% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 $2.84

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-51.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.57 $24.57

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-25.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 $5.66

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-23.82%

Cappuccino

$2.19 $2.19

$1.65 COP 5,207

32.73%

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

$0.75 $0.75

$1.10 COP 3,468

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.78 COP 2,458

-37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.72 COP 5,412

-40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-35.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.10 COP 3,474

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.26 COP 3,962

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.38 COP 4,349

22.46%

Eggs

$1.46 $1.46

$2.18 COP 6,858

-33.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-38.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-47.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-31.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.32 COP 7,308

-34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 $0.60

$1.06 COP 3,352

-43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.52 COP 4,774

-31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.36 COP 4,270

-43.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 $0.43

$1.13 COP 3,552

-61.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.17 COP 3,689

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.90 COP 2,838

-36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.90 COP 2,823

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.23 COP 7,034

161.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 $9.87

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.19 COP 3,743

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.48 COP 7,815

-40.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 $0.41

$0.85 COP 2,687

-51.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.83 $23.83

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-42.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.42 COP 4,459

8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.95 COP 6,141

-43.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 $4.96

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-37.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.99 COP 3,118

-36.36%

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

$19.9K $19.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

12.95%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-3.13%

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

$33.84 $33.84

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-59.23%

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

$14.38 $14.38

$9.70 COP 30.5K

48.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.55 $28.55

$23.52 COP 74.1K

21.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.99 $29.99

$25.26 COP 79.5K

18.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 $14.55

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-23.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 $3.92

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-0.76%

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

$91.2 $91.2

$316 COP 994.2K

-71.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,583 $8,583

$5,975 COP 18.8M

43.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-4.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.07 $32.07

$31.82 COP 100.2K

0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 $70.8

$102 COP 320.1K

-30.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 $75.9

$107 COP 338.3K

-29.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$182 $182

$475 COP 1.5M

-61.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 $164

$374 COP 1.2M

-56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 $250

$849 COP 2.7M

-70.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 $247

$719 COP 2.3M

-65.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,212 $1,212

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-62.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$786 $786

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-45.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 $610

$624 COP 2.0M

-2.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

13.43

-16.68%

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

Last update for Ibarra: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $182 in Ibarra and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 2% 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: $25.00 in Ibarra vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $143 vs $193 per month, with Ibarra 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

Ibarra vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibarra wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ibarra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $182 in Ibarra versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibarra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $634 in Ibarra versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ibarra but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ibarra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ibarra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ibarra hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ibarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.