Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Effingham, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Effingham, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,482 in Effingham, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $3,530 in Effingham, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $4,578 in Effingham, IL.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 32% less than in Effingham, IL, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Effingham, IL 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$15.14 $15.14

-47.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$44.55 $44.55

7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.21 $8.21

20.46%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$4.85 $4.85

-35.46%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$2.12 $2.12

-9.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.08 $1.08

39.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$5.01 $5.01

-37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$5.08 $5.08

13.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.93 $0.93

54.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$2.30 $2.30

8.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$4.29 $4.29

-58.74%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$3.89 $3.89

-23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$12.17 $12.17

-17.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$10.98 $10.98

-7.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$17.85 $17.85

-19.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$4.99 $4.99

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.26 $2.26

-28.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.48 $4.48

-49.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$4.60 $4.60

-51.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$2.17 $2.17

-5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.11 $1.11

38.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.99 $1.99

-41.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$2.30 $2.30

-43.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$11.17 $11.17

-65.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$11.85 $11.85

18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.05 $2.05

-15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$4.43 $4.43

-35.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.88 $1.88

-35.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$4.55 $4.55

-71.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$2.83 $2.83

-22.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$17.73 $17.73

-50.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.03 $1.03

33.01%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.0K $36.0K

-22.75%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.3K $27.3K

31.16%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$227 $227

-21.97%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$44.82 $44.82

-69.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$65.1 $65.1

-54.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$41.05 $41.05

9.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$14.50 $14.50

-54.14%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$1,337 $1,337

-39.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$12.6K $12.6K

-27.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$44.75 $44.75

99.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$33.12 $33.12

78.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$64.4 $64.4

114.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$64.6 $64.6

58.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,559 $1,559

-31.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,301 $1,301

-49.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,476 $2,476

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,137 $2,137

-51.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,348 $2,348

78.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$2,390 $2,390

-29.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.36

72.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Effingham, IL: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,559 in Effingham, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $45.00 in Effingham, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $377, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Medellin vs Effingham, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Effingham, IL differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $2,482 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $3,723 in Effingham, IL 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,559 in Effingham, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Effingham, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $2,482 in Effingham, IL – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,482 in Effingham, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Effingham, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Effingham, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.