Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Imus Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Imus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $743 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,120 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,498 in Imus, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Imus, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Imus 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.31 ₱265

42.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.55 ₱1,326

51.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.08 ₱189

138.31%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.99 ₱184

-42.47%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.82 ₱50.5

28.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.38 ₱23.19

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.22 ₱75.3

38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.68 ₱165

18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.15 ₱133

-51.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.22 ₱74.8

6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.98 ₱60.5

42.86%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.00 ₱123

8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.06 ₱435

-37.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.36 ₱269

34.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.16 ₱441

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.36 ₱145

-3.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.60 ₱98.3

-30.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.92 ₱180

-47.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.68 ₱104

-19.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.72 ₱106

-34.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.44 ₱211

-67.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.57 ₱96.9

-45.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.87 ₱53.6

4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.25 ₱200

-28.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.78 ₱541

40.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.33 ₱82.1

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.03 ₱125

22.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.42 ₱25.77

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.78 ₱47.91

82.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.22 ₱13.52

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.17 ₱133

253.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.16 ₱71.5

-14.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$25.2K ₱1.6M

-28.51%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.6K ₱1.1M

51.01%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$128 ₱7,860

-36.70%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$32.59 ₱2,006

-69.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$26.47 ₱1,630

-8.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$34.25 ₱2,108

-26.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.56 ₱281

319.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.03 ₱433

-43.39%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$82.8 ₱5,095

268.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,340 ₱267.2K

39.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$32.19 ₱1,982

80.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.90 ₱1,841

7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$69.2 ₱4,259

45.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$95.2 ₱5,858

13.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$135 ₱8,336

251.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$109 ₱6,690

246.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$226 ₱13.9K

273.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$185 ₱11.4K

295.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,146 ₱132.1K

49.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$895 ₱55.1K

53.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$176 ₱10.8K

250.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Imus: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $135 in Imus. 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 250% 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 $22.00 in Imus. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $209 in Imus – 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 Imus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $743 in Imus – roughly 39% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,115 in Imus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Imus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Imus, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Imus 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 $743 in Imus to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Imus. 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.