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: $1,495 in Ilsan versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,424 in Ilsan versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,352 in Ilsan versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Ilsan is roughly 45% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilsan is 12% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.27 ₩11.0K

$6.00 COP 20.6K

21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 ₩83.1K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

67.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 ₩9,806

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-12.53%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ₩5,793

$1.65 COP 5,659

132.12%

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

$1.73 ₩2,617

$1.07 COP 3,663

61.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₩1,157

$0.76 COP 2,607

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩5,504

$1.72 COP 5,908

111.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩8,662

$3.20 COP 11.0K

79.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₩3,280

$1.05 COP 3,597

106.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 ₩5,000

$1.31 COP 4,479

152.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,858

$1.34 COP 4,591

140.30%

Eggs

$3.09 ₩4,675

$2.19 COP 7,521

41.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.12 ₩21.3K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

220.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 ₩16.2K

$5.69 COP 19.5K

88.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.56 ₩50.7K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

293.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.71 ₩11.7K

$2.34 COP 8,023

229.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.48 ₩5,265

$1.11 COP 3,804

213.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 ₩8,312

$1.52 COP 5,210

261.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$1.37 COP 4,680

388.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,767

$1.15 COP 3,950

232.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,452

$1.18 COP 4,043

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 ₩3,929

$0.84 COP 2,885

209.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,818

$0.86 COP 2,931

39.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,917

$2.26 COP 7,753

43.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 ₩25.1K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

43.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₩3,684

$1.20 COP 4,109

103.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩5,061

$2.48 COP 8,484

35.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,672

$0.79 COP 2,721

40.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.39 ₩71.6K

$40.83 COP 139.9K

16.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₩3,568

$1.47 COP 5,023

60.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩848

$1.92 COP 6,568

-70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₩13.1K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

11.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₩1,729

$1.01 COP 3,464

12.87%

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

$27.7K ₩41.9M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

57.11%

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

$24.9K ₩37.7M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-5.76%

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

$167 ₩251.9K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

105.52%

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

$35.30 ₩53.3K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

274.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩33.9K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-6.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.81 ₩72.2K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

83.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 ₩16.9K

$4.09 COP 14.0K

173.35%

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

$421 ₩635.4K

$315 COP 1.1M

33.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K ₩36.1M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

297.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ₩88.2K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-2.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.64 ₩72.0K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

49.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₩121.4K

$101 COP 346.9K

-20.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩174.7K

$105 COP 360.3K

10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₩694.3K

$485 COP 1.7M

-5.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₩560.5K

$365 COP 1.3M

1.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 ₩1.6M

$827 COP 2.8M

28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₩1.2M

$730 COP 2.5M

5.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,737 ₩14.7M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

225.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,241 ₩7.9M

$1,314 COP 4.5M

298.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,089 ₩4.7M

$551 COP 1.9M

460.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

13.43

-69.17%

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

Last update for Ilsan: June 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Ilsan and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 461% 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: $55.0 in Ilsan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 vs $190 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

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ilsan pays 461% 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: $460 in Ilsan versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,495 per month in Ilsan versus $1,028 in Medellin – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 16% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,495 in Ilsan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. 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 Ilsan, 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.