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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $760 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,138 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,516 in Imus, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Imus, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Imus 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.30 ₱265

39.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$21.66 ₱1,336

51.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.14 ₱193

125.80%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.83 ₱175

-39.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.87 ₱53.7

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.34 ₱21.09

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.27 ₱78.2

32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.72 ₱168

12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.19 ₱135

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.24 ₱76.5

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.01 ₱62.3

36.63%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.02 ₱124

8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.19 ₱443

-38.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.27 ₱264

31.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.14 ₱440

24.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.29 ₱141

2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.51 ₱93.4

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.01 ₱186

-50.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.65 ₱102

-16.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.75 ₱108

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.55 ₱219

-67.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.59 ₱97.9

-44.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.90 ₱55.4

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.14 ₱194

-27.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.96 ₱552

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.40 ₱86.5

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.95 ₱120

26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.43 ₱26.25

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.83 ₱51.2

77.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.24 ₱14.82

716.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.12 ₱131

265.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.16 ₱71.6

-18.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-30.51%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$17.9K ₱1.1M

47.77%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$129 ₱7,952

-36.22%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$33.30 ₱2,054

-71.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$26.95 ₱1,662

-10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$34.20 ₱2,109

-24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.48 ₱277

324.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.16 ₱441

-45.11%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$80.8 ₱4,982

282.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,376 ₱269.8K

36.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$31.51 ₱1,943

86.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.33 ₱1,809

10.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$67.4 ₱4,154

52.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$93.8 ₱5,785

15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$133 ₱8,186

258.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$111 ₱6,816

242.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$218 ₱13.4K

284.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$183 ₱11.3K

296.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,311 ₱142.5K

20.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$957 ₱59.0K

26.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$177 ₱10.9K

188.38%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Imus: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $133 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 188% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $210 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $760 in Imus – roughly 33% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,141 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 11% 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 $760, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $760 in Imus to $1,013 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.