Cost of Living Comparison Between Iola, KS and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Iola, KS and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,333 per month in Iola, KS vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,283 per month in Iola, KS vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,233 per month in Iola, KS vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Iola, KS costs about 126% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Iola, KS sits 74% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.90 $8.90

$5.92 COP 21.5K

50.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.31 $34.31

$32.75 COP 119.1K

4.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.64 $8.64

$7.20 COP 26.2K

20.00%

Cappuccino

$4.32 $4.32

$1.70 COP 6,186

154.12%

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

$1.59 $1.59

$1.10 COP 3,996

44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.72 COP 2,625

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.67 COP 6,067

141.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.10 COP 11.3K

90.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.06 COP 3,837

-36.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.25 COP 4,531

132.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.39 COP 5,060

20.14%

Eggs

$3.41 $3.41

$2.26 COP 8,229

50.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.16 $7.16

$4.33 COP 15.8K

65.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-8.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-12.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.24 COP 8,159

99.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.08 COP 3,911

18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.53 COP 5,563

111.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.37 COP 4,987

186.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.13 COP 4,109

46.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.12 COP 4,067

44.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.85 COP 3,080

123.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.91 COP 3,305

86.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 $7.08

$2.33 COP 8,477

203.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 $11.88

$11.13 COP 40.5K

6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.19 COP 4,342

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.37 COP 8,617

50.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.79 COP 2,859

155.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.44 COP 5,223

113.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.91 COP 6,952

-35.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.51 $36.51

$8.02 COP 29.2K

355.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.94 COP 3,410

-12.77%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

67.31%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-4.04%

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

$233 $233

$84.0 COP 305.4K

177.56%

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

$68.4 $68.4

$9.60 COP 34.9K

612.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$24.16 COP 87.9K

200.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.07 $43.07

$25.88 COP 94.1K

66.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 $7.38

$3.92 COP 14.2K

88.27%

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

$757 $757

$306 COP 1.1M

146.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

299.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.68 $19.68

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-66.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.97 $32.97

$31.82 COP 115.7K

3.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.52 $39.52

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-60.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$107 COP 389.7K

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 $1,571

$487 COP 1.8M

222.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 $1,339

$368 COP 1.3M

263.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$826 COP 3.0M

216.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,216 $2,216

$716 COP 2.6M

209.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,661 $2,661

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-9.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,410 $2,410

$1,407 COP 5.1M

71.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

13.43

-50.48%

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

Last update for Iola, KS: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,571 in Iola, KS versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Iola, KS versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Iola, KS vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iola, KS costs about 126% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,499 per month in Iola, KS and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Iola, KS and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Iola, KS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Iola, KS at $2,333. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iola, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $2,333 in Iola, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iola, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.