Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilopango and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilopango and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,628 in Ilopango versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,859 in Ilopango versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,090 in Ilopango versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Ilopango is roughly 61% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilopango is 21% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 $3.14

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-47.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.76 $45.76

$32.86 COP 117.2K

39.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 $5.11

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-27.93%

Cappuccino

$2.89 $2.89

$1.71 COP 6,105

69.01%

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

$0.92 $0.92

$1.10 COP 3,918

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.78 COP 2,776

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.68 COP 5,987

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-43.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.09 COP 3,899

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.26 COP 4,500

15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.38 COP 4,914

115.22%

Eggs

$2.94 $2.94

$2.19 COP 7,813

34.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$4.40 COP 15.7K

10.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$5.63 COP 20.1K

9.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 $9.81

$8.89 COP 31.7K

10.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.34 COP 8,334

29.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.06 COP 3,771

85.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.50 COP 5,365

32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.38 COP 4,915

43.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.15 COP 4,104

77.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.16 COP 4,148

69.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.89 COP 3,176

8.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.84 COP 2,992

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.28 COP 8,131

71.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$10.64 COP 37.9K

11.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 COP 4,276

-18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.47 COP 8,809

-20.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.86 COP 3,051

-34.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.43 $35.43

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-14.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 $6.86

$1.47 COP 5,255

366.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.96 COP 6,997

14.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 $4.87

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-37.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.95 COP 3,403

-29.47%

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

$20.1K $20.1K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

10.83%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-4.22%

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

$35.57 $35.57

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-56.75%

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

$10.10 $10.10

$9.50 COP 33.9K

6.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.39 $40.39

$24.23 COP 86.4K

66.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.10 $40.10

$25.89 COP 92.3K

54.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 $10.04

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-47.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 $4.90

$3.93 COP 14.0K

24.68%

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

$106 $106

$309 COP 1.1M

-65.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,950 $1,950

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-67.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.30 $20.30

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-65.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 $30.27

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-6.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 $73.7

$103 COP 365.7K

-28.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 $58.9

$108 COP 386.5K

-45.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 $663

$476 COP 1.7M

39.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 $1,010

$379 COP 1.4M

166.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 $593

$838 COP 3.0M

-29.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 $621

$724 COP 2.6M

-14.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 $1,698

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-39.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$963 $963

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-20.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$999 $999

$512 COP 1.8M

95.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-55.32%

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

Last update for Ilopango: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $663 in Ilopango and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilopango pays 95% 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: $46.00 in Ilopango vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 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

Ilopango vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ilopango pays 95% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $663 in Ilopango versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $106 in Ilopango versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Ilopango. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,628 in Ilopango, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ilopango. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ilopango, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.