Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibra Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ibra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $980 in Ibra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,447 in Ibra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,914 in Ibra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 72% more than Ibra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ibra is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$5.22 OMR 2.01

53.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$33.91 OMR 13.06

41.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.64 OMR 2.94

29.45%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-37.02%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.84 OMR 0.32

127.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.27 OMR 0.10

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$13.18 OMR 5.07

-76.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$12.92 OMR 4.97

-55.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.31 OMR 0.89

-37.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.29 OMR 0.50

93.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.82 OMR 0.70

-2.75%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.86 OMR 1.10

3.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.81 OMR 3.01

28.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$6.61 OMR 2.55

53.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$10.66 OMR 4.10

34.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$3.46 OMR 1.33

19.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-18.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.35 OMR 0.90

-4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.21 OMR 0.47

85.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.16 OMR 0.45

75.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.27 OMR 0.49

21.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-33.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.66 OMR 0.26

98.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$6.66 OMR 2.56

-41.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$15.86 OMR 6.10

-11.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$5.52 OMR 2.13

-68.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$8.86 OMR 3.41

-67.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$3.32 OMR 1.28

-60.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$2.64 OMR 1.02

-17.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$7.97 OMR 3.07

9.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.64 OMR 0.25

114.06%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$25.5K OMR 9,814

9.20%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$22.7K OMR 8,737

57.64%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$175 OMR 67.3

1.49%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$30.87 OMR 11.89

-55.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$70.0 OMR 26.94

-57.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$31.36 OMR 12.07

43.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$18.38 OMR 7.08

-6.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$6.93 OMR 2.67

-4.04%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$285 OMR 110

185.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$10.5K OMR 4,039

-12.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$55.6 OMR 21.40

60.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$43.17 OMR 16.62

36.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$90.4 OMR 34.79

52.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$93.8 OMR 36.13

8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$4,177 OMR 1,608

-83.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.25

108.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ibra: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 516% higher in Ibra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Ibra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $286 – making Ibra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ibra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 72% more than Ibra, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,470 in Ibra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $980 in Ibra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $285 in Ibra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ibra, where all-in costs run around $980, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ibra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ibra costs $980 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ibra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.