Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibadan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibadan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $802 in Ibadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,523 in Ibadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,244 in Ibadan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 25% more expensive than in Ibadan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ibadan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$1.80 ₦2,450

228.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$28.27 ₦38.5K

16.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.29 ₦7,207

40.45%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.05 ₦1,425

57.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.29 ₦400

279.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.19 ₦260

310.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$0.75 ₦1,019

129.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$1.28 ₦1,749

148.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$2.31 ₦3,151

-52.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.20 ₦1,631

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$2.09 ₦2,853

-33.97%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.76 ₦2,406

23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$4.35 ₦5,934

3.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.27 ₦5,823

35.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$4.02 ₦5,482

123.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.38 ₦3,250

-2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.18 ₦1,609

-10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.22 ₦1,657

24.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.69 ₦2,302

-19.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$2.15 ₦2,936

-47.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.58 ₦2,150

-25.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.98 ₦1,334

-8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.33 ₦443

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.24 ₦1,694

79.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$0.97 ₦1,316

1149.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.64 ₦870

85.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$0.93 ₦1,272

166.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.33 ₦448

157.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$36.51 ₦49.8K

14.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.19 ₦1,617

19.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.04 ₦1,419

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$3.66 ₦4,996

115.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.57 ₦773

73.68%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$9,678 ₦13.2M

81.87%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$13.9K ₦19.0M

92.15%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$21.32 ₦29.1K

289.35%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$7.66 ₦10.4K

26.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$20.33 ₦27.7K

15.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$30.23 ₦41.2K

-16.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$2.63 ₦3,580

50.19%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$49.19 ₦67.1K

541.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$1,882 ₦2.6M

217.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$18.11 ₦24.7K

231.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$25.00 ₦34.1K

27.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$43.79 ₦59.7K

132.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$29.96 ₦40.8K

258.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$442 ₦602.1K

7.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$427 ₦582.2K

-12.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,239 ₦1.7M

-31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,287 ₦1.8M

-44.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$865 ₦1.2M

277.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$29.51 ₦40.2K

4781.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$56.7 ₦77.2K

1001.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.33

-17.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ibadan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $442 in Ibadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1002% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Ibadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $154 per month, with Ibadan 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 Ibadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibadan wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ibadan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1002% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $442 in Ibadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $49.19 in Ibadan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $802 in Ibadan versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ibadan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ibadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ibadan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $802 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ibadan hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ibadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.