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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $987 in Ibb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,625 in Ibb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,263 in Ibb.

Living in Medellin is roughly 4% more expensive than in Ibb, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ibb 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.79 YER 1,606

-9.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$41.32 YER 9,781

-21.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$12.77 YER 3,023

-42.52%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.03 YER 480

-15.27%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.67 YER 395

-37.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.53 YER 126

45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$3.29 YER 778

-68.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.17 YER 277

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.82 YER 1,140

-70.95%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$6.53 YER 1,545

-66.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.58 YER 2,268

-54.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$12.30 YER 2,912

-52.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$27.51 YER 6,512

-68.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$5.71 YER 1,352

-60.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.14 YER 507

-48.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$6.26 YER 1,482

-75.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.73 YER 883

-63.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.30 YER 545

-50.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.10 YER 496

-46.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.77 YER 182

10.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.46 YER 346

-37.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.43 YER 813

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.18 YER 988

-44.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.06 YER 488

-31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$4.06 YER 961

-75.62%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$91.3 YER 21.6K

-11.48%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.57 YER 3,685

-36.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$76.6 YER 18.1K

-68.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$82.2 YER 19.4K

-69.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$29.42 YER 6,963

937.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,391 YER 802.6K

78.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$28.45 YER 6,735

104.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$48.93 YER 11.6K

105.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$58.1 YER 13.7K

85.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$216 YER 51.2K

120.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$161 YER 38.2K

133.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$586 YER 138.7K

44.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$396 YER 93.7K

84.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$354 YER 83.8K

74.25%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ibb: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $216 in Ibb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 74% 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 $193 vs $380 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 74% 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: $477 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 97% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $987 in Ibb – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,031 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 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.