Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ioannina

For one person, living is cheaper in Ioannina: $1,378 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Ioannina
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,378
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ioannina

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ioannina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,614 in Medellin versus $1,378 in Ioannina.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Ioannina $1,378

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,402 in Medellin versus $2,102 in Ioannina.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Ioannina $2,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,190 in Medellin versus $2,827 in Ioannina.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Ioannina $2,827

Living in Medellin is roughly 17% more expensive than in Ioannina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Ioannina 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$16.71 €14.90
-52.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.4K
$33.81 €30.14
36.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.2K
$11.10 €9.89
-14.41%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,873
$4.06 €3.62
-23.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,804
$2.87 €2.56
-36.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,363
$0.58 €0.52
137.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,678
$4.50 €4.02
-32.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$5.65 €5.04
-2.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,603
$1.68 €1.50
-13.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,501
$1.13 €1.01
108.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,332
$3.70 €3.30
-54.59%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,083
$3.56 €3.17
-19.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$10.92 €9.74
-6.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$9.02 €8.04
5.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$12.08 €10.77
16.23%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$2.49 €2.22
63.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,745
$1.98 €1.76
-24.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,896
$1.20 €1.07
80.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,315
$2.63 €2.34
-12.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,117
$1.16 €1.04
66.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,199
$1.02 €0.91
60.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,573
$1.01 €0.90
11.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,957
$0.85 €0.75
47.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$5.42 €4.84
-26.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.4K
$6.49 €5.79
105.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,387
$2.00 €1.79
-15.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,530
$3.28 €2.92
-27.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,830
$1.31 €1.17
-7.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.7K
$41.58 €37.07
83.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,182
$4.27 €3.81
-69.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,778
$1.13 €1.01
89.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.9K
$6.86 €6.12
23.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,117
$2.05 €1.83
-36.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.8M
$27.9K €24.8K
0.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.4M
$24.8K €22.1K
42.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 546.0K
$213 €190
-19.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$22.85 €20.37
-41.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$28.89 €25.76
-0.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.6K
$45.24 €40.33
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.1K
$44.82 €39.96
-61.98%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$8.76 €7.81
-28.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$339 €303
127.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$8,804 €7,850
2.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.2K
$67.3 €60.0
28.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.3K
$46.06 €41.07
24.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 433.2K
$76.2 €68.0
79.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.6K
$133 €119
-26.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$457 €407
131.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$322 €287
91.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$699 €623
170.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$617 €550
65.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$2,927 €2,610
38.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$2,433 €2,170
-31.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ioannina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$1,056 €941
-38.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.73
131.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ioannina: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Ioannina
$322 47.7% $293
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Ioannina
$263 10.8% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Ioannina
$265 23.7% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Ioannina
$145 14.5% $25
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Ioannina
$263 56.4% $95
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Ioannina
$57 39.2% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Ioannina
$63 8.5% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Medellin and $457 in Ioannina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ioannina pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Ioannina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $263 per month, with Ioannina cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇬🇷 Ioannina
🕒 Local time
04:17 4:17 AM
12:17 12:17 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
89,061
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 3,173 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,559 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Ioannina 10,110 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Ioannina

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ioannina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Ioannina?
Medellin and Ioannina differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,614 vs $1,378 including rent). Ioannina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 62% lower in Ioannina. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Ioannina?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Medellin versus $457 in Ioannina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Ioannina?
Childcare runs $770 in Medellin versus $339 in Ioannina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,378 in Ioannina versus $1,614 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ioannina but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ioannina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Ioannina?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Medellin or Ioannina safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Ioannina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Ioannina?
Expats usually find Ioannina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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