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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,377 in Ilsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $2,187 in Ilsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $2,998 in Ilsan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 22% more expensive than in Ilsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Ilsan 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$6.90 ₩9,591

14.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$64.3 ₩89.4K

-30.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.87 ₩9,547

35.23%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.13 ₩5,736

-29.78%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.57 ₩2,185

15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.70 ₩970

121.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$3.55 ₩4,931

-8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$5.63 ₩7,823

4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.99 ₩2,767

-30.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.99 ₩4,151

-18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.19 ₩3,040

-31.05%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.06 ₩4,250

-9.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$14.55 ₩20.2K

-37.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$7.27 ₩10.1K

46.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$10.38 ₩14.4K

40.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$7.14 ₩9,926

-44.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$3.13 ₩4,357

-55.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$5.52 ₩7,667

-58.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$6.21 ₩8,626

-67.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$3.26 ₩4,532

-35.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$2.35 ₩3,270

-30.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.89 ₩2,629

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.05 ₩1,453

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.10 ₩4,307

30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$17.96 ₩25.0K

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.18 ₩3,034

-26.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.74 ₩3,805

9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.04 ₩1,449

13.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$45.98 ₩63.9K

73.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.44 ₩4,787

-53.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.61 ₩847

249.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$8.45 ₩11.7K

0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.30 ₩1,804

3.85%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$28.3K ₩39.4M

0.02%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$27.0K ₩37.5M

32.24%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$199 ₩276.9K

-24.01%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$33.78 ₩47.0K

-61.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$18.82 ₩26.2K

71.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$52.6 ₩73.1K

-11.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$11.17 ₩15.5K

54.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.43 ₩14.5K

-38.35%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$551 ₩765.6K

51.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$16.8K ₩23.3M

-47.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$53.6 ₩74.5K

66.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$31.12 ₩43.3K

77.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$67.3 ₩93.5K

103.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$79.2 ₩110.0K

38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$431 ₩598.7K

121.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$341 ₩473.7K

96.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,097 ₩1.5M

84.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$664 ₩922.8K

72.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$7,334 ₩10.2M

-49.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$5,218 ₩7.3M

-69.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$3,229 ₩4.5M

-80.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.1

154.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ilsan: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $431 in Ilsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 416% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $64.0 in Ilsan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $376 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

Ilsan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 416% lower in Ilsan. 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: $952 in Medellin versus $431 in Ilsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $1,377 in Ilsan – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ilsan runs roughly 74% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,377 in Ilsan versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ilsan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ilsan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ilsan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Ilsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.