Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Ibb versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,447 in Ibb versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,014 in Ibb versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Ibb costs roughly 48% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibb is 36% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.30 YER 1,487

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-21.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.73 YER 6,079

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-46.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.05 YER 3,084

$9.89 COP 30.8K

31.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 YER 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 YER 604

Cappuccino

$2.17 YER 512

$3.13 COP 9,767

-30.67%

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

$1.12 YER 265

$1.91 COP 5,954

-41.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 YER 118

$1.51 COP 4,712

-66.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 YER 486

$1.44 COP 4,509

43.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 YER 230

$2.49 COP 7,759

-60.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 YER 476

$1.77 COP 5,535

14.12%

Eggs

$3.63 YER 857

$2.96 COP 9,235

22.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 YER 3,277

$10.07 COP 31.4K

37.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 YER 1,918

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-19.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.07 YER 4,504

$14.30 COP 44.6K

33.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 YER 771

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-21.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 YER 239

$1.61 COP 5,019

-37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 YER 532

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 YER 397

$2.25 COP 7,028

-25.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 YER 347

$2.04 COP 6,375

-27.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 YER 311

$1.54 COP 4,790

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 YER 192

$1.17 COP 3,651

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 YER 163

$1.31 COP 4,077

-47.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.36 YER 793

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 YER 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 YER 821

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 YER 933

$3.90 COP 12.2K

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 YER 502

$1.31 COP 4,084

61.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 YER 605

$2.19 COP 6,825

16.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 YER 1,739

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-15.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 YER 485

$1.37 COP 4,260

49.64%

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

$17.0K YER 4.0M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-39.05%

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

$34.9K YER 8.2M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-2.57%

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

$63.6 YER 15.0K

$177 COP 553.2K

-64.13%

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

$15.57 YER 3,677

$13.88 COP 43.3K

12.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 YER 7,060

$29.72 COP 92.8K

0.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 YER 1,415

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-9.92%

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

$24.80 YER 5,859

$813 COP 2.5M

-96.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,138 YER 505.1K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-76.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 YER 6,950

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-67.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$120 YER 28.4K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

103.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.06 YER 11.1K

$138 COP 431.2K

-65.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 YER 9,613

$102 COP 318.7K

-60.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 YER 74.0K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-70.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 YER 59.6K

$663 COP 2.1M

-61.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 YER 182.7K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-59.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 YER 148.7K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-38.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 YER 84.8K

$678 COP 2.1M

-47.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

10.94

2.83%

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

Last update for Ibb: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Ibb and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 89% 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: $26.00 in Ibb vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $305 per month, with Ibb 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

Ibb vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 89% 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: $313 in Ibb versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $879 per month in Ibb versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Ibb versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibb 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 Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.