Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibarra Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibarra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $634 in Ibarra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $974 in Ibarra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,314 in Ibarra.

Living in Medellin is roughly 58% more expensive than in Ibarra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ibarra 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.84 $2.84

108.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$24.57 $24.57

34.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.66 $5.66

31.27%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.19 $2.19

-24.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.75 $0.75

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.49 $0.49

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.03 $1.03

66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.04 $2.04

55.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.90 $0.90

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.22 $1.22

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.69 $1.69

-18.34%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.46 $1.46

49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$2.77 $2.77

62.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.03 $3.03

91.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.12 $6.12

46.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.52 $1.52

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.60 $0.60

76.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.04 $1.04

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.77 $0.77

76.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.43 $0.43

162.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.02 $1.02

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.57 $0.57

57.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.02 $1.02

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.84 $5.84

-61.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.87 $9.87

22.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.53 $1.53

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.47 $1.47

68.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.41 $0.41

107.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$23.83 $23.83

74.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.54 $1.54

-7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.10 $1.10

77.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.96 $4.96

59.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.63 $0.63

57.14%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.9K $19.9K

-11.47%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$26.0K $26.0K

3.23%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$33.84 $33.84

145.30%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$14.38 $14.38

-32.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.55 $28.55

-17.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$29.99 $29.99

-15.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$14.55 $14.55

31.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.92 $3.92

0.77%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$91.2 $91.2

246.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,583 $8,583

-30.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$57.1 $57.1

5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$32.07 $32.07

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$70.8 $70.8

43.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$75.9 $75.9

41.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$182 $182

160.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$164 $164

127.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$250 $250

239.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$247 $247

191.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,212 $1,212

169.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$786 $786

83.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$610 $610

2.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.19

20.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ibarra: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $182 in Ibarra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 2% 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 $25.00 in Ibarra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $143 per month, with Ibarra 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 Ibarra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibarra wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ibarra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2% 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 $182 in Ibarra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibarra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $634 in Ibarra versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ibarra but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ibarra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ibarra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ibarra hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ibarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.