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: $987 in Ibb versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Ibb versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,329 in Ibb versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Ibb costs roughly 3% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibb 26% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 YER 1,633

$5.99 COP 21.4K

14.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.65 YER 9,687

$32.86 COP 117.4K

23.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 YER 2,978

$7.09 COP 25.3K

76.30%

Cappuccino

$2.08 YER 495

$1.71 COP 6,115

21.64%

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

$1.60 YER 382

$1.10 COP 3,924

45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 YER 119

$0.78 COP 2,781

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 YER 778

$1.09 COP 3,906

199.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 YER 276

$1.26 COP 4,508

-7.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 YER 1,131

$1.38 COP 4,922

243.48%

Eggs

$6.43 YER 1,531

$2.19 COP 7,827

193.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 YER 2,172

$4.40 COP 15.7K

107.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 YER 3,002

$5.63 COP 20.1K

123.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.63 YER 6,585

$8.89 COP 31.8K

210.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 YER 1,382

$2.34 COP 8,349

147.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 YER 517

$1.06 COP 3,777

104.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 YER 1,537

$1.50 COP 5,374

330.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 YER 876

$1.38 COP 4,924

165.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 YER 554

$1.15 COP 4,111

101.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 YER 481

$1.16 COP 4,155

74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 YER 186

$0.89 COP 3,182

-12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 YER 334

$0.84 COP 2,997

66.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.34 YER 795

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 YER 963

$2.28 COP 8,145

77.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 YER 496

$1.47 COP 5,264

41.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.99 YER 952

$0.95 COP 3,409

320.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$90.8 YER 21.6K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

10.42%

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

$15.33 YER 3,652

$9.50 COP 33.9K

61.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 YER 18.5K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

220.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 YER 19.2K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

211.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$28.67 YER 6,833

$309 COP 1.1M

-90.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 YER 791.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-44.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.35 YER 6,993

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-49.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.95 YER 11.7K

$103 COP 366.4K

-52.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 YER 13.7K

$108 COP 387.2K

-47.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 YER 51.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

-54.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 YER 38.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

-57.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 YER 136.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

-31.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 YER 94.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

-45.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 YER 83.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

-31.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Ibb: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Ibb and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 45% 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: $41.00 in Ibb vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 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

Ibb vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 45% 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: $216 in Ibb versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 101% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $987 per month in Ibb versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,013 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 3% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.