Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ikeja Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ikeja

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,060 in Ikeja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,652 in Ikeja, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,243 in Ikeja, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Ikeja, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ikeja are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ikeja 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$1.54 ₦2,097

285.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$33.13 ₦45.2K

-0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$5.24 ₦7,146

35.88%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$2.18 ₦2,974

-21.56%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$0.36 ₦495

191.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.20 ₦272

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$0.78 ₦1,067

120.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$1.37 ₦1,870

131.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$2.12 ₦2,894

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$1.19 ₦1,615

10.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$2.33 ₦3,179

-42.92%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$1.77 ₦2,411

28.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$6.31 ₦8,599

-29.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$4.12 ₦5,620

43.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$5.43 ₦7,397

59.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$3.55 ₦4,843

-34.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$2.01 ₦2,741

-45.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$2.17 ₦2,959

-32.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$2.40 ₦3,274

-42.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$2.29 ₦3,123

-48.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$1.94 ₦2,650

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$1.98 ₦2,696

-54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.36 ₦489

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$1.31 ₦1,782

77.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$2.56 ₦3,495

365.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$0.68 ₦921

69.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$0.95 ₦1,288

154.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

$0.34 ₦467

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

$9.91 ₦13.5K

312.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$1.19 ₦1,623

18.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$2.13 ₦2,909

-10.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$4.65 ₦6,341

68.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$0.39 ₦528

141.03%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$20.5K ₦27.9M

-12.94%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$20.7K ₦28.2M

30.88%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$41.90 ₦57.1K

98.71%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$10.30 ₦14.0K

-6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$34.23 ₦46.6K

-29.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$6.45 ₦8,783

-36.90%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$84.2 ₦114.8K

264.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$2,291 ₦3.1M

161.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$19.00 ₦25.9K

215.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$25.00 ₦34.1K

30.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$65.8 ₦89.7K

53.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$57.8 ₦78.7K

87.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$840 ₦1.1M

-43.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$597 ₦814.2K

-36.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$1,925 ₦2.6M

-57.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$1,209 ₦1.6M

-41.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$71.1 ₦96.9K

774.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.33

-17.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ikeja: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $840 in Ikeja. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 774% higher in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Ikeja. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $189 in Ikeja – so Ikeja wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ikeja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja costs about 4% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,591 in Ikeja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Ikeja – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $33.00 in Ikeja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Ikeja at $1,060. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ikeja it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,018 versus $1,060 in Ikeja. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ikeja makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.