Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ilesha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ilesha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $446 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $796 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,146 in Ilesha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 128% more than Ilesha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ilesha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ilesha 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.57 ₦3,493

131.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$50.5 ₦68.7K

-34.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.20 ₦7,066

39.04%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.13 ₦2,892

-23.47%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.33 ₦454

230.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.20 ₦272

265.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$0.78 ₦1,061

123.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.37 ₦1,861

135.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.26 ₦3,076

-53.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.25 ₦1,704

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.26 ₦3,067

-41.59%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.72 ₦2,334

31.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.31 ₦8,581

-31.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.20 ₦5,707

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.28 ₦7,177

63.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.47 ₦4,723

-35.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.06 ₦2,800

-48.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.17 ₦2,952

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.31 ₦3,143

-38.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.32 ₦3,151

-49.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.92 ₦2,613

-39.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.99 ₦2,711

-55.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.35 ₦481

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.25 ₦1,706

80.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$2.62 ₦3,562

321.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.63 ₦858

80.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$0.93 ₦1,260

155.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.20 ₦1,628

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.26 ₦3,079

-15.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.58 ₦6,223

69.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.79 ₦1,070

27.85%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.6K ₦28.0M

-14.53%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.2K ₦27.4M

31.42%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$40.76 ₦55.4K

105.30%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.05 ₦13.7K

-5.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$34.50 ₦46.9K

-30.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.16 ₦8,371

-33.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$81.8 ₦111.2K

281.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,342 ₦3.2M

155.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$19.18 ₦26.1K

202.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$24.87 ₦33.8K

30.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$64.6 ₦87.9K

54.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$57.0 ₦77.4K

90.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Ilesha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $190 – making Medellin 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 Ilesha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 128%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $669 in Ilesha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $51.0 in Ilesha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ilesha, where all-in costs run around $446, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Ilesha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ilesha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ilesha. 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.