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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $457 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $815 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,172 in Ilesha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 126% more than Ilesha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ilesha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ilesha 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.52 ₦3,465

134.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$50.7 ₦69.8K

-35.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.40 ₦7,432

33.33%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.12 ₦2,925

-19.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.34 ₦464

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.22 ₦304

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.79 ₦1,082

111.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.38 ₦1,901

124.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.27 ₦3,124

-53.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.25 ₦1,728

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.32 ₦3,199

-40.09%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.70 ₦2,341

32.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.36 ₦8,761

-31.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.36 ₦5,998

33.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.30 ₦7,295

66.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.58 ₦4,923

-37.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.11 ₦2,909

-48.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.20 ₦3,029

-30.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.30 ₦3,168

-40.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.28 ₦3,142

-50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.01 ₦2,765

-44.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.00 ₦2,756

-57.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.38 ₦524

139.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.31 ₦1,805

77.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$3.30 ₦4,544

237.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.69 ₦953

72.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$0.94 ₦1,294

152.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.19 ₦1,639

21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.25 ₦3,096

-15.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.76 ₦6,555

68.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.73 ₦1,009

28.77%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.3K ₦28.0M

-11.74%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.7K ₦28.4M

29.67%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$40.97 ₦56.4K

104.93%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.37 ₦14.3K

-7.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$34.70 ₦47.8K

-30.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.37 ₦8,776

-38.46%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$83.3 ₦114.7K

267.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,339 ₦3.2M

153.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$18.85 ₦26.0K

207.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.44 ₦33.6K

30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$65.9 ₦90.7K

51.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$56.5 ₦77.8K

89.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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 27, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: April 26, 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 $194 – 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 126%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $686 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 2% 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 $457, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.