Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iksan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iksan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,555 per month in Medellin vs $1,383 in Iksan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Medellin vs $2,106 in Iksan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Medellin vs $2,828 in Iksan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 12% more than Iksan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Iksan sit above the global median – Medellin by 15%, Iksan by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.7K

$6.02 ₩8,082

26.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 145.7K

$34.76 ₩46.7K

28.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.1K

$6.45 ₩8,657

43.26%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,591

$3.58 ₩4,812

-17.60%

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

$1.80 COP 5,861

$1.51 ₩2,031

19.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,391

$0.57 ₩772

136.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,544

$3.46 ₩4,647

-15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

$4.27 ₩5,734

27.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,663

$2.24 ₩3,013

-36.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,785

$3.00 ₩4,033

-20.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,209

$2.20 ₩2,953

-27.27%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,364

$3.31 ₩4,442

-12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.6K

$15.45 ₩20.8K

-37.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.7K

$7.51 ₩10.1K

25.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.1K

$11.00 ₩14.8K

20.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.2K

$7.60 ₩10.2K

-50.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,703

$3.23 ₩4,333

-55.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,829

$7.25 ₩9,739

-71.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,930

$6.82 ₩9,154

-68.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,259

$3.30 ₩4,434

-41.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,984

$2.32 ₩3,123

-34.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,549

$2.03 ₩2,723

-46.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,843

$1.28 ₩1,721

-7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.3K

$3.25 ₩4,370

16.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.8K

$18.42 ₩24.7K

-28.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,337

$2.13 ₩2,859

-23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,410

$3.42 ₩4,591

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,825

$1.07 ₩1,437

10.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,157

$3.54 ₩4,756

-63.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,434

$0.60 ₩805

230.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.7K

$16.25 ₩21.8K

-51.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,211

$1.37 ₩1,836

-5.84%

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

$26.8K COP 87.2M

$28.6K ₩38.4M

-6.34%

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

$34.7K COP 112.9M

$35.0K ₩47.1M

-1.00%

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

$158 COP 513.6K

$208 ₩278.8K

-23.97%

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

$13.39 COP 43.6K

$42.94 ₩57.7K

-68.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 88.8K

$20.19 ₩27.1K

35.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 143.7K

$51.7 ₩69.4K

-14.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.0K

$11.76 ₩15.8K

35.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

$10.82 ₩14.5K

-40.94%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$297 ₩398.3K

161.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.6M

$17.2K ₩23.0M

-48.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.2K

$63.5 ₩85.3K

30.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 182.6K

$63.0 ₩84.6K

-10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 425.7K

$71.7 ₩96.2K

82.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.1K

$97.5 ₩130.9K

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

$432 ₩580.6K

132.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

$354 ₩474.8K

77.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.9M

$1,113 ₩1.5M

64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

$719 ₩965.3K

34.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

$6,914 ₩9.3M

-43.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

$5,322 ₩7.1M

-70.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$1,693 ₩2.3M

-63.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.1

166.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Iksan: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Medellin versus $432 in Iksan. 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 173% higher in Iksan, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Iksan. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Medellin vs $404 in Iksan – 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 Iksan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 12% more than Iksan, 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 $2,333 per month in Medellin and $2,075 in Iksan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Iksan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Iksan, where all-in costs run around $1,383, than in Medellin at $1,555. In Iksan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iksan costs $1,383 versus $1,555 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 Iksan. 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.