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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,056 in Ikeja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,641 in Ikeja, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,227 in Ikeja, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Ikeja, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ikeja are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ikeja 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$1.50 ₦2,024

294.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$32.42 ₦43.7K

2.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$5.26 ₦7,096

37.83%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.20 ₦2,962

-22.27%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.34 ₦456

220.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.20 ₦270

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$0.85 ₦1,140

105.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$1.44 ₦1,947

120.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$2.11 ₦2,853

-49.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.24 ₦1,674

4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$2.33 ₦3,144

-40.77%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.76 ₦2,370

25.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$6.25 ₦8,432

-27.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.16 ₦5,608

39.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$5.30 ₦7,154

69.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.60 ₦4,851

-36.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.03 ₦2,742

-47.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$2.10 ₦2,833

-28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$2.37 ₦3,192

-42.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.38 ₦3,206

-51.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.01 ₦2,706

-41.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$2.00 ₦2,693

-58.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.35 ₦477

142.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$1.26 ₦1,705

86.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$3.14 ₦4,232

253.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$0.64 ₦857

79.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$0.95 ₦1,276

160.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.31 ₦425

154.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$9.91 ₦13.4K

322.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.24 ₦1,667

16.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$2.15 ₦2,899

-11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$4.61 ₦6,221

67.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.38 ₦515

171.05%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$20.2K ₦27.2M

-12.26%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$20.9K ₦28.2M

29.41%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$41.16 ₦55.5K

97.81%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$10.05 ₦13.6K

-6.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$33.91 ₦45.7K

-29.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.47 ₦8,728

-37.40%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$83.2 ₦112.2K

275.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$2,341 ₦3.2M

159.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$19.37 ₦26.1K

203.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$24.74 ₦33.4K

32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$63.4 ₦85.5K

58.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$58.1 ₦78.4K

82.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$845 ₦1.1M

-42.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$614 ₦827.9K

-39.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,906 ₦2.6M

-56.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$1,195 ₦1.6M

-40.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$126 ₦169.6K

323.09%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ikeja: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $845 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 323% 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 in Medellin versus $32 in Ikeja. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $190 in Ikeja – so Medellin 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 3% 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,583 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.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Ikeja, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $32.00 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 $1,030, than in Ikeja at $1,056. 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 $1,030 versus $1,056 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.