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: $1,377 in Ilsan versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,187 in Ilsan versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,998 in Ilsan versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Ilsan costs roughly 18% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilsan 1% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 ₩9,591

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-12.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 ₩89.4K

$44.53 COP 136.5K

44.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 ₩9,547

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-26.05%

Cappuccino

$4.13 ₩5,736

$2.90 COP 8,874

42.41%

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

$1.57 ₩2,185

$1.81 COP 5,541

-13.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₩970

$1.55 COP 4,741

-54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ₩4,931

$3.25 COP 9,962

9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 ₩7,823

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-4.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₩2,767

$1.38 COP 4,230

44.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 ₩4,151

$2.45 COP 7,517

22.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₩3,040

$1.51 COP 4,617

45.03%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,250

$2.78 COP 8,516

10.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.55 ₩20.2K

$9.05 COP 27.7K

60.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 ₩10.1K

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-31.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 ₩14.4K

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-29.05%

Apples (1kg)

$7.14 ₩9,926

$3.97 COP 12.2K

79.85%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,357

$1.38 COP 4,219

126.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 ₩7,667

$2.30 COP 7,056

140.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 ₩8,626

$2.02 COP 6,185

207.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,532

$2.09 COP 6,390

55.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 ₩3,270

$1.63 COP 4,996

44.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 ₩2,629

$1.08 COP 3,313

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₩1,453

$1.25 COP 3,843

-16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₩4,307

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 ₩25.0K

$13.47 COP 41.3K

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₩3,034

$1.60 COP 4,904

36.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₩3,805

$3.00 COP 9,189

-8.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₩1,449

$1.18 COP 3,611

-11.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.98 ₩63.9K

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-42.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ₩4,787

$1.61 COP 4,920

113.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₩847

$2.13 COP 6,533

-71.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.45 ₩11.7K

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ₩1,804

$1.35 COP 4,142

-3.70%

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

$28.3K ₩39.4M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-0.02%

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

$27.0K ₩37.5M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-24.38%

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

$199 ₩276.9K

$151 COP 463.8K

31.59%

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

$33.78 ₩47.0K

$13.10 COP 40.1K

157.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 ₩26.2K

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-41.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 ₩73.1K

$46.33 COP 141.9K

13.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.17 ₩15.5K

$17.26 COP 52.9K

-35.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 ₩14.5K

$6.43 COP 19.7K

62.21%

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

$551 ₩765.6K

$835 COP 2.6M

-34.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ₩23.3M

$8,887 COP 27.2M

88.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ₩74.5K

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-39.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.12 ₩43.3K

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-43.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 ₩93.5K

$137 COP 418.5K

-50.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 ₩110.0K

$109 COP 335.1K

-27.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ₩598.7K

$952 COP 2.9M

-54.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₩473.7K

$668 COP 2.0M

-48.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 ₩1.5M

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-45.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ₩922.8K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-42.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,334 ₩10.2M

$3,696 COP 11.3M

98.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,218 ₩7.3M

$1,586 COP 4.9M

229.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,229 ₩4.5M

$625 COP 1.9M

416.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

10.43

-60.69%

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

Last update for Ilsan: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $431 in Ilsan and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 416% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Ilsan vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $297 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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 416% 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: $431 in Ilsan versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,377 per month in Ilsan versus $1,687 in Medellin – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ilsan runs roughly 74% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,377 in Ilsan versus $1,687 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 22% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.