Cost of Living Comparison Between Icheon and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Icheon and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,468 per month in Icheon vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Icheon vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,043 per month in Icheon vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Icheon costs about 43% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Icheon sits 10% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 ₩9,400

$6.00 COP 20.6K

3.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.85 ₩55.7K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ₩9,208

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-17.92%

Cappuccino

$4.17 ₩6,303

$1.65 COP 5,659

152.73%

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

$1.27 ₩1,925

$1.07 COP 3,663

18.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,736

$0.76 COP 2,607

51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,611

$1.72 COP 5,908

115.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 ₩8,945

$3.20 COP 11.0K

85.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 ₩3,451

$1.05 COP 3,597

117.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 ₩5,488

$1.31 COP 4,479

177.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 ₩4,630

$1.34 COP 4,591

128.36%

Eggs

$2.88 ₩4,351

$2.19 COP 7,521

31.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 ₩16.0K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

140.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 ₩12.3K

$5.69 COP 19.5K

43.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.95 ₩42.2K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

228.05%

Apples (1kg)

$8.39 ₩12.7K

$2.34 COP 8,023

258.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 ₩4,788

$1.11 COP 3,804

185.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.22 ₩10.9K

$1.52 COP 5,210

375.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 ₩8,139

$1.37 COP 4,680

293.43%

Potato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,733

$1.15 COP 3,950

345.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 ₩4,390

$1.18 COP 4,043

146.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 ₩3,194

$0.84 COP 2,885

151.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,835

$0.86 COP 2,931

40.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩5,052

$2.26 COP 7,753

47.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 ₩25.0K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₩2,668

$1.20 COP 4,109

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₩5,249

$2.48 COP 8,484

39.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,704

$0.79 COP 2,721

43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩5,436

$1.47 COP 5,023

144.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,290

$1.92 COP 6,568

-55.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.68 ₩25.2K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

114.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,849

$1.01 COP 3,464

20.79%

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

$27.3K ₩41.3M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

54.74%

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

$25.1K ₩37.9M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-5.14%

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

$187 ₩282.7K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

130.67%

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

$51.4 ₩77.6K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

444.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ₩42.2K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.84 ₩33.0K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-15.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 ₩16.8K

$4.09 COP 14.0K

171.64%

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

$498 ₩751.9K

$315 COP 1.1M

58.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩21.0M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

130.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩152.6K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

69.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.73 ₩72.1K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

49.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₩132.8K

$101 COP 346.9K

-13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.8K

$105 COP 360.3K

12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$745 ₩1.1M

$485 COP 1.7M

53.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ₩573.0K

$365 COP 1.3M

3.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 ₩1.6M

$827 COP 2.8M

30.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 ₩1.2M

$730 COP 2.5M

4.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,823 ₩13.3M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

194.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,734 ₩7.2M

$1,314 COP 4.5M

260.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,072 ₩3.1M

$551 COP 1.9M

276.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

13.43

-70.96%

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

Last update for Icheon: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $745 in Icheon versus $485 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 276% higher in Icheon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Icheon versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Icheon vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Icheon is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,202 per month in Icheon and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Icheon and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 137% more in Icheon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Icheon at $1,468. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Icheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Icheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.