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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $688 in Ilheus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,120 in Ilheus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,552 in Ilheus, rent included.

Medellin costs about 46% more than Ilheus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ilheus are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Ilheus 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$3.77 R$19.30

56.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$26.82 R$137

22.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.19 R$31.65

20.03%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,280

$1.81 R$9.27

-8.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,517

$1.11 R$5.70

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,493

$0.61 R$3.14

27.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,488

$1.78 R$9.13

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.75 R$14.07

15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,523

$1.03 R$5.27

6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,018

$1.45 R$7.42

-13.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,410

$1.19 R$6.09

15.97%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,955

$1.93 R$9.88

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$17.08 R$87.4

-73.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.65 R$18.69

58.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.27 R$37.20

23.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,410

$2.08 R$10.66

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,399

$1.29 R$6.61

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,842

$1.20 R$6.13

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,330

$1.50 R$7.65

-9.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,602

$1.15 R$5.89

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,740

$1.06 R$5.44

10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,878

$0.69 R$3.53

30.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,863

$0.67 R$3.43

34.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,132

$2.10 R$10.72

6.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$7.52 R$38.46

61.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,795

$1.21 R$6.18

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,925

$2.00 R$10.24

24.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,725

$0.93 R$4.78

-8.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.9K

$37.78 R$193

10.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,521

$1.11 R$5.66

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,227

$0.70 R$3.58

178.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$6.26 R$32.03

26.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,162

$1.00 R$5.09

-1.00%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$20.6K R$105.1K

-14.35%

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

$26.8K COP 85.6M

$27.8K R$142.2K

-3.60%

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

$83.0 COP 265.0K

$61.2 R$313

35.68%

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

$9.70 COP 31.0K

$13.70 R$70.1

-29.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.1K

$18.62 R$95.3

26.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$22.11 R$113

14.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.0K

$21.80 R$112

-12.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.42 R$32.86

-38.47%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$265 R$1,355

19.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,376 R$32.6K

-6.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.6K

$49.83 R$255

20.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.6K

$42.09 R$215

-24.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.6K

$76.3 R$390

33.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 343.1K

$65.5 R$335

63.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$167 R$853

184.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$118 R$604

216.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$301 R$1,540

182.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$227 R$1,162

216.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,426 R$7,297

128.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,276 R$6,526

12.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$595 R$3,046

4.89%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ilheus: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $167 in Ilheus. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Ilheus. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $201 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $688 in Ilheus – roughly 46% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,032 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 4% 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 $688, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $688 in Ilheus to $1,003 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.