Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ilheus Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ilheus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $700 in Ilheus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,101 in Ilheus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,502 in Ilheus, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Ilheus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ilheus are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ilheus 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$3.98 R$19.80

48.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$26.60 R$132

24.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$6.27 R$31.17

15.63%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.72 R$8.55

-0.58%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.11 R$5.52

-1.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.67 R$3.34

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.84 R$9.12

-4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.62 R$13.04

21.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.94 R$4.69

12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.44 R$7.16

-9.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.18 R$5.84

16.95%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.01 R$10.00

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$17.08 R$84.9

-73.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$3.57 R$17.72

62.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$7.14 R$35.48

25.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.06 R$10.24

11.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.29 R$6.44

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.19 R$5.90

26.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.46 R$7.25

-6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.14 R$5.68

1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.07 R$5.32

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.75 R$3.75

10.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.62 R$3.10

37.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.19 R$10.89

7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$7.73 R$38.40

43.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.27 R$6.29

-9.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.01 R$9.99

22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.86 R$4.29

-8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$38.14 R$190

9.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.10 R$5.47

30.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.75 R$3.75

153.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$6.54 R$32.50

17.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.98 R$4.88

5.10%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$20.9K R$103.7K

-15.21%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$28.1K R$139.4K

-3.70%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$60.4 R$300

34.85%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$13.44 R$66.8

-29.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$19.09 R$94.9

24.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$22.42 R$111

15.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$21.28 R$106

-9.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.47 R$32.17

-37.40%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$270 R$1,339

15.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$6,472 R$32.2K

-6.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$49.98 R$248

17.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$42.72 R$212

-23.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$75.8 R$377

32.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$65.2 R$324

63.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$170 R$843

188.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$119 R$591

211.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$311 R$1,543

169.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$223 R$1,109

220.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,669 R$8,293

76.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,320 R$6,558

5.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ilheus: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $170 in Ilheus. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $27 in Ilheus. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $199 in Ilheus – 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 Ilheus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,030 in Medellin, $700 in Ilheus – roughly 47% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,050 in Ilheus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ilheus, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Ilheus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ilheus, where all-in costs run around $700, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Ilheus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $700 in Ilheus to $1,030 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ilheus. 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.