Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,415 in Ilsan versus $1,589 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,290 in Ilsan versus $2,364 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,165 in Ilsan versus $3,139 in Medellin.

Living in Ilsan costs roughly 11% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilsan 6% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 ₩10.2K

$8.01 COP 25.9K

-4.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 ₩90.6K

$46.55 COP 150.8K

45.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 ₩9,924

$9.43 COP 30.6K

-21.42%

Cappuccino

$3.98 ₩5,339

$2.91 COP 9,432

36.77%

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

$1.54 ₩2,067

$1.75 COP 5,678

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,055

$1.32 COP 4,289

-40.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,051

$3.13 COP 10.1K

20.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 ₩8,164

$5.55 COP 18.0K

9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₩2,686

$1.41 COP 4,570

41.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 ₩4,062

$2.44 COP 7,907

24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₩3,032

$1.63 COP 5,278

38.65%

Eggs

$3.37 ₩4,516

$2.82 COP 9,140

19.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 ₩20.7K

$9.69 COP 31.4K

59.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 ₩10.7K

$9.32 COP 30.2K

-14.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 ₩14.7K

$13.46 COP 43.6K

-18.50%

Apples (1kg)

$7.35 ₩9,853

$4.00 COP 13.0K

83.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.19 ₩4,280

$1.48 COP 4,797

115.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 ₩7,701

$2.12 COP 6,881

171.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 ₩8,211

$2.25 COP 7,298

172.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ₩4,740

$1.91 COP 6,193

85.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 ₩3,211

$1.62 COP 5,247

48.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩2,674

$1.15 COP 3,719

73.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₩1,476

$1.26 COP 4,088

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩4,459

$3.82 COP 12.4K

-12.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ₩24.6K

$13.11 COP 42.5K

40.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₩2,961

$1.60 COP 5,168

38.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₩4,308

$2.26 COP 7,308

42.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,467

$1.17 COP 3,793

-5.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.59 ₩65.1K

$75.0 COP 243.0K

-35.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,765

$1.27 COP 4,123

180.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₩828

$2.05 COP 6,640

-69.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 ₩11.8K

$8.20 COP 26.6K

7.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩1,817

$1.27 COP 4,113

7.09%

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

$29.4K ₩39.5M

$26.8K COP 86.7M

9.97%

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

$27.7K ₩37.0M

$34.4K COP 111.5M

-19.63%

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

$212 ₩283.9K

$162 COP 525.5K

30.66%

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

$34.43 ₩46.1K

$13.12 COP 42.5K

162.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.76 ₩27.8K

$28.09 COP 91.0K

-26.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 ₩68.7K

$44.33 COP 143.6K

15.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.65 ₩16.9K

$16.33 COP 52.9K

-22.54%

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 ₩15.2K

$6.09 COP 19.7K

86.37%

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

$528 ₩707.0K

$764 COP 2.5M

-30.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K ₩24.3M

$8,904 COP 28.8M

103.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩77.5K

$85.0 COP 275.3K

-31.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.00 ₩44.2K

$57.5 COP 186.2K

-42.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ₩95.1K

$132 COP 426.9K

-46.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 ₩109.0K

$95.8 COP 310.2K

-15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ₩621.5K

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-54.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ₩507.9K

$604 COP 2.0M

-37.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₩1.7M

$1,802 COP 5.8M

-29.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 ₩869.6K

$993 COP 3.2M

-34.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,948 ₩9.3M

$3,921 COP 12.7M

77.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,723 ₩6.3M

$1,639 COP 5.3M

188.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,482 ₩4.7M

$626 COP 2.0M

456.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

10.94

-62.52%

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

Last update for Ilsan: October 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in Ilsan and $1,028 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 456% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Ilsan vs $47.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $288 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

Ilsan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilsan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 456% higher in Ilsan, 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: $464 in Ilsan versus $1,028 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,415 per month in Ilsan versus $1,589 in Medellin – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ilsan runs roughly 54% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,415 in Ilsan versus $1,589 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ilsan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ilsan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ilsan 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.

Safety-wise, Ilsan and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ilsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.