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: $2,394 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,329 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,264 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 42% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iowa City, IA 75% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.86 $13.86

$8.02 COP 25.0K

72.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 $66.8

$47.87 COP 149.4K

39.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 $9.10

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-7.99%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$3.13 COP 9,767

85.30%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$1.91 COP 5,954

51.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.51 COP 4,712

47.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.12 COP 9,747

61.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$5.75 COP 17.9K

18.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.44 COP 4,509

-39.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.49 COP 7,759

2.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.77 COP 5,535

149.72%

Eggs

$3.47 $3.47

$2.96 COP 9,235

17.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 $9.28

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-7.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$10.12 COP 31.6K

4.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.54 $20.54

$14.30 COP 44.6K

43.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-18.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.61 COP 5,019

-24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.25 COP 7,007

19.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.25 COP 7,028

110.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.04 COP 6,375

0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.54 COP 4,790

100.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.17 COP 3,651

67.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.31 COP 4,077

86.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.07 $9.07

$3.90 COP 12.2K

132.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.01 COP 43.7K

11.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.74 COP 5,439

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.87 COP 8,956

54.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.07 $16.07

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-80.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.31 COP 4,084

199.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.19 COP 6,825

-10.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.35 $43.35

$8.71 COP 27.2K

397.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.37 COP 4,260

-27.74%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

27.07%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-29.85%

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

$270 $270

$177 COP 553.2K

52.25%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$13.88 COP 43.3K

281.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.0 $83.0

$29.72 COP 92.8K

179.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.70 $49.70

$44.88 COP 140.1K

10.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 $20.39

$17.12 COP 53.4K

19.10%

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 $13.57

$6.65 COP 20.7K

104.06%

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

$1,291 $1,291

$813 COP 2.5M

58.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

156.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-29.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 $49.61

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-15.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$138 COP 431.2K

-26.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$102 COP 318.7K

11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 $1,205

$1,062 COP 3.3M

13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 $1,066

$663 COP 2.1M

60.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,311 $2,311

$1,888 COP 5.9M

22.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$1,027 COP 3.2M

48.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,763 $3,763

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-10.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,899 $1,899

$1,675 COP 5.2M

13.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,661 $3,661

$678 COP 2.1M

440.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

10.94

-42.78%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,205 in Iowa City, IA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 440% 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: $67.0 in Iowa City, IA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $305 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 440% higher in Iowa City, IA, 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: $1,205 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,062 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 401% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,291 in Iowa City, IA versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,394 in Iowa City, IA, a $2,500 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 42% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.