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: $2,352 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,249 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,146 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 132% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iowa City, IA is 76% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$5.99 COP 21.3K

149.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$32.86 COP 116.9K

132.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 $9.16

$7.09 COP 25.2K

29.20%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$1.71 COP 6,093

200.00%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$1.10 COP 3,910

123.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.78 COP 2,771

135.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.68 COP 5,976

194.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$3.07 COP 10.9K

123.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.09 COP 3,892

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.26 COP 4,492

117.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.38 COP 4,905

259.42%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$2.19 COP 7,799

79.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$4.40 COP 15.7K

111.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 $10.50

$5.63 COP 20.0K

86.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$8.89 COP 31.6K

83.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.34 COP 8,319

39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.06 COP 3,764

14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.50 COP 5,355

85.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.38 COP 4,906

237.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.15 COP 4,097

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.16 COP 4,141

142.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.89 COP 3,170

123.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.84 COP 2,986

141.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$2.28 COP 8,116

302.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 $15.80

$10.64 COP 37.9K

48.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.20 COP 4,268

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.47 COP 8,793

94.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.86 COP 3,045

130.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.14 $16.14

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-61.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.47 COP 5,245

208.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.96 COP 6,984

9.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$7.74 COP 27.5K

432.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.95 COP 3,397

-9.47%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

40.53%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-2.13%

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

$221 $221

$82.3 COP 292.7K

169.14%

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

$49.98 $49.98

$9.50 COP 33.8K

426.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$24.23 COP 86.2K

205.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.34 $49.34

$25.89 COP 92.1K

90.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$19.00 COP 67.6K

5.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$3.93 COP 14.0K

208.14%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$309 COP 1.1M

307.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

310.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$58.7 COP 208.7K

15.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 $47.90

$32.35 COP 115.1K

48.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$103 COP 365.1K

-1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$108 COP 385.8K

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 $1,236

$476 COP 1.7M

159.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 $1,087

$379 COP 1.3M

186.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$838 COP 3.0M

183.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$724 COP 2.6M

111.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,800 $3,800

$2,791 COP 9.9M

36.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 $1,920

$1,211 COP 4.3M

58.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,641 $3,641

$512 COP 1.8M

611.47%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,236 in Iowa City, IA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 611% 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: $76.0 in Iowa City, IA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $188 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 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 611% 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: $1,236 in Iowa City, IA versus $476 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 157% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,262 in Iowa City, IA versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,352 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 132% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.