Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibague Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibague

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $612 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $914 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,215 in Ibague.

Living in Medellin is roughly 65% more expensive than Ibague, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ibague 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$4.80 COP 17.1K

24.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$21.81 COP 77.6K

50.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$5.07 COP 18.0K

39.84%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$0.99 COP 3,512

72.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.96 COP 3,415

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.65 COP 2,327

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$0.77 COP 2,722

118.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.13 COP 7,578

44.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.14 COP 4,041

-4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.75 COP 2,658

68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$0.75 COP 2,677

84.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.93 COP 6,874

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.88 COP 17.4K

-9.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$3.66 COP 13.0K

53.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$4.93 COP 17.5K

80.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.99 COP 10.6K

-21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$0.46 COP 1,624

130.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$0.74 COP 2,639

102.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.46 COP 1,631

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.47 COP 1,659

144.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.35 COP 1,244

231.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.50 COP 1,782

78.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.43 COP 1,547

95.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.90 COP 10.3K

-21.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.36 COP 33.3K

13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$0.47 COP 1,666

155.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$0.63 COP 2,252

292.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.72 COP 2,557

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.42 COP 5,050

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.50 COP 5,324

30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$2.39 COP 8,508

223.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.94 COP 3,332

1.06%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$15.7K COP 55.7M

15.77%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$25.2K COP 89.8M

4.90%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$47.84 COP 170.2K

71.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$6.14 COP 21.8K

54.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$21.90 COP 77.9K

10.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$42.85 COP 152.5K

-39.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.85 COP 13.7K

2.08%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$59.6 COP 212.1K

419.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$2,440 COP 8.7M

144.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$59.1 COP 210.3K

-0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$41.35 COP 147.1K

-21.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$84.0 COP 299.0K

22.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$61.0 COP 217.2K

77.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$232 COP 823.9K

105.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$146 COP 518.9K

159.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$392 COP 1.4M

113.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$214 COP 761.4K

238.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,250 COP 4.4M

123.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$880 COP 3.1M

37.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$473 COP 1.7M

8.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.93

3.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ibague: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $232 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 8% 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 $22.00 in Ibague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $132 per month, with Ibague 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 Ibague: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibague is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 8% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $232 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $612 in Ibague – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $612 in Ibague versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibague but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ibague the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibague 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.

Expats usually find Ibague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.