Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ilsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ilsan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,530 in Ilsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,421 in Ilsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $3,312 in Ilsan.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 32% less than in Ilsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Ilsan is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.49 ₩11.1K

-20.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$55.7 ₩82.6K

-41.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.53 ₩9,694

10.26%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.75 ₩5,555

-54.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.67 ₩2,475

-34.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.71 ₩1,054

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.65 ₩5,421

-54.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.76 ₩8,546

-46.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.16 ₩3,198

-50.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.38 ₩5,013

-63.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.10 ₩4,592

-55.16%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.19 ₩4,732

-29.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.05 ₩20.8K

-69.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$10.75 ₩15.9K

-45.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$33.74 ₩50.0K

-73.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.76 ₩11.5K

-71.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$3.46 ₩5,132

-68.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.49 ₩8,140

-72.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$6.35 ₩9,424

-78.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$3.82 ₩5,673

-70.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.85 ₩4,231

-60.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.64 ₩3,909

-67.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.21 ₩1,799

-24.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.34 ₩4,956

-30.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$15.11 ₩22.4K

-26.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.34 ₩3,466

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.33 ₩4,933

-28.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.11 ₩1,639

-28.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$46.83 ₩69.5K

-12.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.38 ₩3,533

-39.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.58 ₩853

229.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.94 ₩13.3K

-10.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.15 ₩1,706

-18.26%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.3K ₩40.5M

-34.33%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.3K ₩37.6M

5.70%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$164 ₩242.8K

-48.71%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$35.01 ₩51.9K

-72.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.27 ₩33.0K

8.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$48.35 ₩71.7K

-46.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.84 ₩16.1K

-63.84%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$414 ₩614.5K

-26.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$23.8K ₩35.2M

-75.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$58.0 ₩86.1K

-0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$47.24 ₩70.1K

-32.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$79.9 ₩118.6K

25.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$116 ₩171.4K

-7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$455 ₩675.3K

6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$375 ₩556.5K

-1.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,054 ₩1.6M

-21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$763 ₩1.1M

-6.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$8,782 ₩13.0M

-66.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$5,189 ₩7.7M

-72.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,092 ₩4.6M

-82.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.14

224.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ilsan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $455 in Ilsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 467% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $56.0 in Ilsan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $482 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Ilsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ilsan earns 467% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $455 in Ilsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,530 in Ilsan – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 14% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,530 in Ilsan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ilsan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ilsan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.