Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibb Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibb

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $987 in Ibb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,658 in Ibb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,329 in Ibb.

Living in Medellin is roughly 3% more expensive than Ibb, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ibb 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.85 YER 1,633

-12.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$40.65 YER 9,687

-19.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$12.50 YER 2,978

-43.28%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.08 YER 495

-17.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.60 YER 382

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.50 YER 119

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$3.26 YER 778

-66.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.16 YER 276

8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$4.74 YER 1,131

-70.89%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$6.43 YER 1,531

-65.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.11 YER 2,172

-51.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$12.60 YER 3,002

-55.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$27.63 YER 6,585

-67.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$5.80 YER 1,382

-59.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.17 YER 517

-51.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$6.45 YER 1,537

-76.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.67 YER 876

-62.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.32 YER 554

-50.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.02 YER 481

-42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.78 YER 186

14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.40 YER 334

-40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.34 YER 795

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.04 YER 963

-43.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.08 YER 496

-29.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$3.99 YER 952

-76.19%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$90.8 YER 21.6K

-9.44%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$15.33 YER 3,652

-38.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$77.6 YER 18.5K

-68.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$80.6 YER 19.2K

-67.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$28.67 YER 6,833

979.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,323 YER 791.9K

79.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$29.35 YER 6,993

99.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$48.95 YER 11.7K

109.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$57.5 YER 13.7K

88.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$216 YER 51.5K

120.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$160 YER 38.2K

136.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$571 YER 136.1K

46.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$395 YER 94.1K

83.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$352 YER 83.9K

45.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ibb: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $216 in Ibb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 45% 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 $41.00 in Ibb for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $379 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 Ibb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 45% 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 $216 in Ibb. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 101% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $987 in Ibb – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibb 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 Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.