Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,014 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,313 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,596 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,282 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,178 in Medellin.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 131% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iowa City, IA is 74% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 $14.72

$6.14 COP 22.2K

139.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$33.05 COP 119.3K

128.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 $8.85

$7.32 COP 26.4K

20.90%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$1.66 COP 5,987

204.82%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.10 COP 3,987

117.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.78 COP 2,822

129.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.71 COP 6,188

196.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.17 COP 11.5K

124.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.11 COP 4,012

-21.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.31 COP 4,719

103.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.38 COP 4,980

247.83%

Eggs

$4.01 $4.01

$2.22 COP 8,009

80.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$4.34 COP 15.7K

108.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$5.80 COP 20.9K

81.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$8.98 COP 32.4K

84.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.26 COP 8,164

51.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.11 COP 4,023

4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.46 COP 5,284

85.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.37 COP 4,929

247.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.11 COP 4,009

82.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.16 COP 4,199

150.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.89 COP 3,211

123.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.87 COP 3,124

128.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 $9.17

$2.35 COP 8,495

290.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 $15.47

$10.86 COP 39.2K

42.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.20 COP 4,330

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.48 COP 8,946

95.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.79 COP 2,842

159.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.17 $16.17

$40.77 COP 147.2K

-60.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.42 COP 5,137

210.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.91 COP 6,900

10.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.23 $42.23

$7.65 COP 27.6K

452.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.97 COP 3,490

-11.34%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

39.69%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-4.70%

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

$214 $214

$81.3 COP 293.5K

163.18%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$9.63 COP 34.8K

423.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$24.36 COP 88.0K

211.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 $50.1

$26.02 COP 93.9K

92.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 $20.21

$18.92 COP 68.3K

6.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$3.89 COP 14.0K

214.14%

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

$1,243 $1,243

$304 COP 1.1M

308.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

324.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 $66.9

$58.7 COP 211.8K

14.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.76 $47.76

$32.48 COP 117.2K

47.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$102 COP 367.3K

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$108 COP 390.4K

8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$474 COP 1.7M

155.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 $1,093

$371 COP 1.3M

194.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$848 COP 3.1M

186.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 $1,538

$716 COP 2.6M

114.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,818 $3,818

$2,871 COP 10.4M

32.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,375 COP 5.0M

38.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 $3,581

$542 COP 2.0M

561.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

13.43

-52.12%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,210 in Iowa City, IA and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 561% 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: $76 in Iowa City, IA vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 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

Iowa City, IA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 131% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 561% 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: $1,210 in Iowa City, IA versus $474 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 152% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,243 in Iowa City, IA versus $304 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,344 in Iowa City, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. 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 Iowa City, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iowa City, IA 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 131% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.