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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $466 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $798 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,129 in Ilesha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 262% more than Ilesha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ilesha is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$3.66 ₦4,930

115.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$49.25 ₦66.3K

-9.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.59 ₦10.2K

22.40%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.75 ₦3,701

5.45%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.44 ₦588

311.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.25 ₦337

520.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$0.99 ₦1,329

228.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.97 ₦2,657

198.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$3.16 ₦4,260

-56.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.47 ₦1,975

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.26 ₦1,691

19.84%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.14 ₦2,883

29.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$3.59 ₦4,836

152.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.80 ₦5,116

180.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$4.47 ₦6,023

227.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.61 ₦2,163

146.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.26 ₦1,703

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.13 ₦1,520

103.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.27 ₦1,712

59.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.35 ₦1,821

54.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.30 ₦1,751

25.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.82 ₦1,102

31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.39 ₦521

220.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$0.57 ₦761

607.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$2.60 ₦3,494

418.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$0.52 ₦702

207.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$0.45 ₦604

566.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.64 ₦862

151.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.94 ₦1,268

126.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.08 ₦2,804

309.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.81 ₦1,091

66.67%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$11.2K ₦15.1M

152.77%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$13.3K ₦17.9M

169.18%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$110 ₦148.7K

37.01%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$16.16 ₦21.7K

-18.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$25.41 ₦34.2K

27.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.50 ₦6,052

42.89%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$657 ₦884.3K

27.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$19.7K ₦26.5M

-54.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$14.44 ₦19.4K

518.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$20.48 ₦27.6K

170.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$36.30 ₦48.9K

276.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$51.7 ₦69.6K

111.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

18.05

-42.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Ilesha. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $153 in Ilesha – so Ilesha 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 Ilesha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 262%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $699 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $49.00 in Ilesha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ilesha, where all-in costs run around $466, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.