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: $1,589 in Medellin versus $1,415 in Ilsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $2,290 in Ilsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $3,165 in Ilsan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 12% more expensive than in Ilsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Ilsan 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.9K

$7.61 ₩10.2K

5.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.8K

$67.7 ₩90.6K

-31.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.6K

$7.41 ₩9,924

27.26%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,432

$3.98 ₩5,339

-26.88%

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

$1.75 COP 5,678

$1.54 ₩2,067

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,289

$0.79 ₩1,055

67.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$3.77 ₩5,051

-16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 18.0K

$6.09 ₩8,164

-8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,570

$2.00 ₩2,686

-29.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,907

$3.03 ₩4,062

-19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,278

$2.26 ₩3,032

-27.88%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,140

$3.37 ₩4,516

-16.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.4K

$15.48 ₩20.7K

-37.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.2K

$7.97 ₩10.7K

16.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.6K

$10.97 ₩14.7K

22.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 13.0K

$7.35 ₩9,853

-45.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,797

$3.19 ₩4,280

-53.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,881

$5.75 ₩7,701

-63.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,298

$6.13 ₩8,211

-63.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,193

$3.54 ₩4,740

-46.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,247

$2.40 ₩3,211

-32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,719

$2.00 ₩2,674

-42.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,088

$1.10 ₩1,476

14.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$3.33 ₩4,459

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.5K

$18.39 ₩24.6K

-28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,168

$2.21 ₩2,961

-27.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,308

$3.22 ₩4,308

-29.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,793

$1.10 ₩1,467

6.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 243.0K

$48.59 ₩65.1K

54.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,123

$3.56 ₩4,765

-64.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,640

$0.62 ₩828

230.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.6K

$8.80 ₩11.8K

-6.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,113

$1.36 ₩1,817

-6.62%

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

$26.8K COP 86.7M

$29.4K ₩39.5M

-9.07%

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

$34.4K COP 111.5M

$27.7K ₩37.0M

24.42%

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

$162 COP 525.5K

$212 ₩283.9K

-23.46%

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

$13.12 COP 42.5K

$34.43 ₩46.1K

-61.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 91.0K

$20.76 ₩27.8K

35.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.6K

$51.3 ₩68.7K

-13.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.9K

$12.65 ₩16.9K

29.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.7K

$11.35 ₩15.2K

-46.34%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$528 ₩707.0K

44.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.8M

$18.1K ₩24.3M

-50.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 275.3K

$57.9 ₩77.5K

46.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 186.2K

$33.00 ₩44.2K

74.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 426.9K

$71.0 ₩95.1K

85.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 310.2K

$81.4 ₩109.0K

17.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$464 ₩621.5K

121.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$379 ₩507.9K

59.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$1,276 ₩1.7M

41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$649 ₩869.6K

52.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$6,948 ₩9.3M

-43.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$4,723 ₩6.3M

-65.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$3,482 ₩4.7M

-82.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.1

166.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ilsan: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $464 in Ilsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 456% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Medellin vs $68.0 in Ilsan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $393 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, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 456% 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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $464 in Ilsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,589 per month in Medellin versus $1,415 in Ilsan – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ilsan runs roughly 54% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,415 in Ilsan versus $1,589 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 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.