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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,328 in Iksan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,050 in Iksan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,773 in Iksan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Iksan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Iksan is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$5.86 ₩8,147

34.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$33.69 ₩46.8K

32.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.44 ₩8,957

44.25%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.38 ₩4,703

-14.20%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.45 ₩2,010

24.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.61 ₩845

154.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$3.43 ₩4,762

-5.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$4.35 ₩6,049

35.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.06 ₩2,866

-33.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.91 ₩4,041

-15.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.28 ₩3,164

-33.77%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.21 ₩4,456

-13.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$15.00 ₩20.9K

-39.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$7.57 ₩10.5K

40.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$10.69 ₩14.9K

36.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$7.21 ₩10.0K

-44.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$3.02 ₩4,204

-54.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$6.93 ₩9,633

-66.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$6.41 ₩8,912

-68.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$3.37 ₩4,682

-37.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$2.24 ₩3,113

-27.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.91 ₩2,654

-43.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.24 ₩1,730

0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.12 ₩4,339

29.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$17.66 ₩24.5K

-23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.17 ₩3,014

-26.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.29 ₩4,570

-8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.04 ₩1,452

13.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.55 ₩4,932

-54.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.61 ₩842

249.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$15.69 ₩21.8K

-45.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.28 ₩1,774

5.47%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$27.8K ₩38.6M

1.88%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$33.8K ₩47.0M

5.47%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$206 ₩286.9K

-26.66%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$41.18 ₩57.2K

-68.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$20.09 ₩27.9K

60.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$53.3 ₩74.0K

-13.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$11.47 ₩15.9K

50.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.44 ₩14.5K

-38.41%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$303 ₩420.8K

175.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$16.7K ₩23.3M

-46.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$61.1 ₩84.9K

46.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$60.8 ₩84.5K

-8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$71.0 ₩98.6K

92.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$94.9 ₩131.9K

15.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$422 ₩586.0K

125.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$330 ₩458.4K

102.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,070 ₩1.5M

88.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$665 ₩924.8K

72.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$7,277 ₩10.1M

-49.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$5,336 ₩7.4M

-70.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,604 ₩2.2M

-61.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.1

154.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Iksan: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $422 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 156% 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 $34.00 in Iksan. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $390 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 27% 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,991 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 $34.00 in Iksan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% 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 $1,328, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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 $1,328 versus $1,687 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.