Cost of Living Comparison Between Isabela and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Isabela and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,324 in Isabela versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,940 in Isabela versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,557 in Isabela versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Isabela is roughly 32% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isabela 1% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.08 $12.08

$5.91 COP 18.6K

104.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$32.96 COP 103.8K

82.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 $8.22

$7.43 COP 23.4K

10.63%

Cappuccino

$3.68 $3.68

$1.65 COP 5,207

123.03%

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

$1.27 $1.27

$1.10 COP 3,468

15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.78 COP 2,458

64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.72 COP 5,412

34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.18 COP 10.0K

24.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.10 COP 3,474

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.26 COP 3,962

126.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.38 COP 4,349

-9.42%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$2.18 COP 6,858

39.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 $8.95

$4.49 COP 14.1K

99.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 $6.44

$5.79 COP 18.2K

11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$8.97 COP 28.2K

41.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.32 COP 7,308

91.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.06 COP 3,352

148.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.52 COP 4,774

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.36 COP 4,270

200.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.13 COP 3,552

246.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.17 COP 3,689

161.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$0.90 COP 2,838

235.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.90 COP 2,823

114.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$2.23 COP 7,034

431.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 $15.33

$12.12 COP 38.2K

26.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.19 COP 3,743

109.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.48 COP 7,815

27.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.95 COP 6,141

-21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.27 $15.27

$7.89 COP 24.8K

93.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.99 COP 3,118

-6.06%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

101.50%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-0.51%

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

$495 $495

$83.0 COP 261.4K

496.39%

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

$77.6 $77.6

$9.70 COP 30.5K

700.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$23.52 COP 74.1K

209.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.83 $11.83

$3.95 COP 12.4K

199.49%

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

$476 $476

$316 COP 994.2K

50.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

77.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.32 $46.32

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-22.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 $57.0

$31.82 COP 100.2K

79.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$102 COP 320.1K

-11.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$107 COP 338.3K

-1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$849 COP 2.7M

116.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

13.43

-57.48%

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

Last update for Isabela: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $60.0 in Isabela vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $193 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

Isabela vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Isabela. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,986 in Isabela and $1,504 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $476 in Isabela versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $60.0 in Isabela. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,324 in Isabela, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Isabela. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Isabela 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 32% less than in Isabela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.