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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $476 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $811 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,145 in Ilesha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 234% more than Ilesha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Ilesha is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$3.72 ₦4,932

115.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

$50.2 ₦66.5K

-7.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

$7.62 ₦10.1K

23.75%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

$2.81 ₦3,716

3.56%

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

$0.42 ₦552

316.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

$0.23 ₦303

473.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$1.02 ₦1,346

206.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

$1.97 ₦2,602

181.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,553

$3.09 ₦4,086

-54.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

$1.48 ₦1,960

64.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

$1.26 ₦1,673

29.37%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

$2.22 ₦2,942

27.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

$3.61 ₦4,783

168.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

$3.83 ₦5,067

143.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

$4.43 ₦5,861

203.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$1.72 ₦2,278

132.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

$1.25 ₦1,655

18.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

$1.11 ₦1,468

90.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

$1.33 ₦1,754

69.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

$1.33 ₦1,761

43.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

$1.32 ₦1,747

22.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

$0.84 ₦1,112

36.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

$0.37 ₦489

240.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$0.58 ₦771

558.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

$2.58 ₦3,411

408.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

$0.50 ₦656

220.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

$0.49 ₦650

361.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

$0.70 ₦930

81.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

$0.94 ₦1,241

118.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

$2.15 ₦2,842

281.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$0.82 ₦1,090

54.88%

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

$11.2K ₦14.8M

139.14%

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

$13.7K ₦18.1M

151.83%

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

$162 COP 523.6K

$114 ₦151.5K

41.80%

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

$16.33 ₦21.6K

-19.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

$33.00 ₦43.7K

-14.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$4.85 ₦6,419

25.57%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$669 ₦885.3K

14.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

$19.8K ₦26.2M

-54.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

$14.48 ₦19.2K

486.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

$18.40 ₦24.4K

212.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

$37.07 ₦49.1K

255.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

$48.25 ₦63.9K

98.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.05

-39.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Ilesha. Groceries tell a different story – $288 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 234%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $714 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $50.0 in Ilesha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% 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 $476, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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.