Cost of Living Comparison Between Ithaca, NY and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ithaca, NY and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,218 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,397 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,576 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ithaca, NY costs about 119% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ithaca, NY sits 66% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$5.99 COP 21.4K

235.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 $68.7

$32.86 COP 117.2K

109.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$7.09 COP 25.3K

54.72%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$1.71 COP 6,105

192.98%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$1.10 COP 3,918

158.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.78 COP 2,776

141.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 $5.01

$1.68 COP 5,987

198.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.07 COP 10.9K

96.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.09 COP 3,899

-9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.26 COP 4,500

210.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$1.38 COP 4,914

305.80%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$2.19 COP 7,813

87.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$4.40 COP 15.7K

214.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$5.63 COP 20.1K

17.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$8.89 COP 31.7K

68.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.34 COP 8,334

95.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.06 COP 3,771

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.50 COP 5,365

205.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$1.38 COP 4,915

263.04%

Potato (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$1.15 COP 4,104

512.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.16 COP 4,148

205.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$0.89 COP 3,176

224.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.84 COP 2,992

110.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.86 $8.86

$2.28 COP 8,131

288.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 $13.79

$10.64 COP 37.9K

29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.20 COP 4,276

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.47 COP 8,809

64.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.86 COP 3,051

73.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 $45.56

$41.40 COP 147.6K

10.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.47 COP 5,255

231.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.96 COP 6,997

-30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 $26.98

$7.74 COP 27.6K

248.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.95 COP 3,403

-5.26%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

64.16%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-1.54%

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

$137 $137

$82.3 COP 293.2K

66.38%

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

$47.48 $47.48

$9.50 COP 33.9K

399.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$24.23 COP 86.4K

171.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.94 $42.94

$25.89 COP 92.3K

65.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 $10.94

$3.93 COP 14.0K

178.37%

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

$1,559 $1,559

$309 COP 1.1M

403.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

374.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 $43.80

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-25.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 $39.88

$32.35 COP 115.3K

23.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$103 COP 365.7K

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$108 COP 386.5K

-4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 $1,647

$476 COP 1.7M

245.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 $1,059

$379 COP 1.4M

179.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 $2,614

$838 COP 3.0M

211.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$724 COP 2.6M

156.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,182 $2,182

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-21.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 $2,137

$1,211 COP 4.3M

76.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,366 $3,366

$512 COP 1.8M

557.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

13.43

-53.24%

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

Last update for Ithaca, NY: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,647 in Ithaca, NY versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 558% higher in Ithaca, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Ithaca, NY versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $188 – 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

Ithaca, NY vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,218 in Ithaca, NY, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 119% apart. Ithaca, NY costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,327 per month in Ithaca, NY and $1,519 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 $69.0 in Ithaca, NY and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,218 in Ithaca, NY and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Ithaca, NY at $2,218. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ithaca, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $2,218 in Ithaca, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Ithaca, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.