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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,049 in Elgin, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $2,589 in Elgin, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $4,129 in Elgin, IL.

Living in Medellin is roughly 56% more expensive than in Elgin, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Elgin, IL is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$19.61 $19.61

-59.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$60.6 $60.6

-20.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.05 $10.05

-6.27%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$4.01 $4.01

-26.68%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$3.05 $3.05

-39.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$6.02 $6.02

-46.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.96 $4.96

15.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$0.87 $0.87

65.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$3.63 $3.63

-33.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$4.88 $4.88

-65.16%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$3.92 $3.92

-26.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$11.21 $11.21

-10.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$13.42 $13.42

-25.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$12.00 $12.00

18.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.43 $4.43

-10.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.34 $1.34

17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$2.59 $2.59

-16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$4.20 $4.20

-45.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$1.93 $1.93

3.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$2.00 $2.00

-24.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$1.82 $1.82

-34.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$2.36 $2.36

-45.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$10.80 $10.80

-64.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$15.56 $15.56

-9.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$2.71 $2.71

-36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$3.60 $3.60

-23.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$4.03 $4.03

-67.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$1.94 $1.94

11.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$28.49 $28.49

-70.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.00 $1.00

36.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$35.3K $35.3K

-22.10%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$25.1K $25.1K

45.83%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$101 $101

66.83%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$53.5 $53.5

-74.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$49.20 $49.20

-42.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$14.94 $14.94

-55.49%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,716 $1,716

-53.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$23.5K $23.5K

-60.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$40.21 $40.21

117.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$49.96 $49.96

18.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$102 $102

36.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$120 $120

-14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,240 $2,240

-14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,778 $1,778

-41.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,256 $2,256

82.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,218 $2,218

-23.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,947 $3,947

-83.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.26

74.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Elgin, IL: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Elgin, IL pays 503% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $61.0 in Elgin, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $376 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

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

Elgin, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 503% lower in Elgin, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $803 in Medellin versus $1,716 in Elgin, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Elgin, IL – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,049 in Elgin, IL versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elgin, IL but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Elgin, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Elgin, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Elgin, IL 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 Elgin, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.