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 $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,625 in Ibb versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,263 in Ibb versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Ibb costs roughly 4% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibb 26% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 YER 1,606

$6.16 COP 20.1K

10.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 YER 9,781

$32.60 COP 106.1K

26.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 YER 3,023

$7.34 COP 23.9K

73.98%

Cappuccino

$2.03 YER 480

$1.72 COP 5,600

18.02%

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

$1.67 YER 395

$1.05 COP 3,420

59.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 YER 126

$0.77 COP 2,515

-31.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$3.29 YER 778

$1.05 COP 3,423

213.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 YER 277

$1.30 COP 4,236

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 YER 1,140

$1.40 COP 4,544

244.29%

Eggs

$6.53 YER 1,545

$2.16 COP 7,047

202.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 YER 2,268

$4.39 COP 14.3K

118.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 YER 2,912

$5.88 COP 19.1K

109.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.51 YER 6,512

$8.64 COP 28.1K

218.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 YER 1,352

$2.28 COP 7,426

150.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 YER 507

$1.11 COP 3,604

92.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.26 YER 1,482

$1.53 COP 4,983

309.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 YER 883

$1.35 COP 4,410

176.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 YER 545

$1.13 COP 3,674

103.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 YER 496

$1.13 COP 3,692

85.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 YER 182

$0.85 COP 2,753

-9.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 YER 346

$0.91 COP 2,975

60.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.43 YER 813

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 YER 988

$2.34 COP 7,630

78.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 YER 488

$1.42 COP 4,623

45.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$4.06 YER 961

$0.99 COP 3,223

310.10%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$91.3 YER 21.6K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

12.97%

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

$15.57 YER 3,685

$9.95 COP 32.4K

56.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 YER 18.1K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

216.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.2 YER 19.4K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

227.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$29.42 YER 6,963

$305 COP 993.5K

-90.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,391 YER 802.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-44.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.45 YER 6,735

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-51.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.93 YER 11.6K

$101 COP 327.9K

-51.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 YER 13.7K

$108 COP 350.8K

-46.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 YER 51.2K

$477 COP 1.6M

-54.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 YER 38.2K

$376 COP 1.2M

-57.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 YER 138.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

-30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 YER 93.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-45.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 YER 83.8K

$617 COP 2.0M

-42.61%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Ibb and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 74% 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 $380 vs $193 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 74% 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: $216 in Ibb versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 97% 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 $1,031 in Medellin – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,031 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 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.