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: $1,530 in Ilsan versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,421 in Ilsan versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,312 in Ilsan versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Ilsan is roughly 48% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilsan is 14% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 ₩11.0K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

26.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 ₩82.0K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

70.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ₩9,628

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-9.31%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₩5,518

$1.70 COP 6,186

120.59%

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

$1.67 ₩2,458

$1.10 COP 3,996

51.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₩1,047

$0.72 COP 2,625

-1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,385

$1.67 COP 6,067

118.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,489

$3.10 COP 11.3K

85.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,177

$1.06 COP 3,837

103.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 ₩4,979

$1.25 COP 4,531

170.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,561

$1.39 COP 5,060

123.02%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,700

$2.26 COP 8,229

41.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 ₩20.7K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

224.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 ₩15.8K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

84.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.74 ₩49.7K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

282.11%

Apples (1kg)

$7.76 ₩11.4K

$2.24 COP 8,159

246.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,098

$1.08 COP 3,911

220.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 ₩8,085

$1.53 COP 5,563

258.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.35 ₩9,361

$1.37 COP 4,987

363.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,634

$1.13 COP 4,109

238.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,202

$1.12 COP 4,067

154.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 ₩3,883

$0.85 COP 3,080

210.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,787

$0.91 COP 3,305

32.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩4,922

$2.33 COP 8,477

43.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 ₩22.3K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

35.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,442

$1.19 COP 4,342

96.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩4,900

$2.37 COP 8,617

40.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,628

$0.79 COP 2,859

40.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.83 ₩69.0K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

13.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₩3,509

$1.44 COP 5,223

65.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩847

$1.91 COP 6,952

-69.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₩13.2K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

11.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₩1,695

$0.94 COP 3,410

22.34%

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

$27.3K ₩40.2M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

52.28%

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

$25.3K ₩37.3M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-5.39%

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

$164 ₩241.2K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

94.96%

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

$35.01 ₩51.6K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

264.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.27 ₩32.8K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-7.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.35 ₩71.2K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

86.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 ₩16.0K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

176.53%

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

$414 ₩610.4K

$306 COP 1.1M

35.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ₩35.0M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

301.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩85.5K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.24 ₩69.6K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

48.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩117.8K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-20.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩170.2K

$107 COP 389.7K

7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ₩670.8K

$487 COP 1.8M

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ₩552.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

1.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₩1.6M

$826 COP 3.0M

27.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₩1.1M

$716 COP 2.6M

6.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,782 ₩12.9M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

200.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 ₩7.6M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

268.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,092 ₩4.6M

$546 COP 2.0M

466.73%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Ilsan and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 467% 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: $56.0 in Ilsan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $482 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ilsan pays 467% 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: $455 in Ilsan versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,530 per month in Ilsan versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 14% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,530 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 48% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.