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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $2,411 in Ikeja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $4,102 in Ikeja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $5,792 in Ikeja, rent included.

Medellin is about 32% cheaper than Ikeja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Ikeja sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Ikeja by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$0.53 ₦706

1416.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$11.37 ₦15.1K

324.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.41 ₦9,821

27.13%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.72 ₦3,600

8.09%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.15 ₦196

1140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.06 ₦81.8

2333.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$0.31 ₦412

935.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.02 ₦2,677

182.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.72 ₦956

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.72 ₦953

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.20 ₦1,594

41.67%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.23 ₦2,955

29.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.56 ₦4,719

182.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.98 ₦5,272

150.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$4.43 ₦5,869

220.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.70 ₦2,257

134.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.29 ₦1,712

22.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.13 ₦1,499

90.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.27 ₦1,679

81.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.32 ₦1,745

51.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.30 ₦1,717

16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.83 ₦1,104

44.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.39 ₦519

228.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$0.55 ₦724

598.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$2.68 ₦3,553

422.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$0.54 ₦720

216.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$0.46 ₦608

495.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.10 ₦131

1150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$3.44 ₦4,562

2164.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.70 ₦921

87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.92 ₦1,213

135.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$2.23 ₦2,961

271.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.14 ₦186

871.43%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$11.2K ₦14.9M

144.36%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$13.4K ₦17.7M

173.25%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$110 ₦145.3K

53.87%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$16.20 ₦21.5K

-16.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$33.03 ₦43.8K

-14.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.67 ₦6,193

42.40%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$662 ₦877.0K

21.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$19.6K ₦26.0M

-53.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$14.46 ₦19.2K

504.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$18.41 ₦24.4K

222.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$35.95 ₦47.6K

286.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$47.64 ₦63.1K

114.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$3,447 ₦4.6M

-68.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,984 ₦2.6M

-67.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$6,568 ₦8.7M

-70.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$4,908 ₦6.5M

-78.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$74.0 ₦98.1K

785.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.05

-39.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ikeja: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $3,447 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 785% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Ikeja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $123 – making Ikeja 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 Ikeja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja costs about 47% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $3,617 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 145% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Ikeja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Ikeja at $2,411. 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 $1,641 versus $2,411 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.