Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iola, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,663 in Iola, KS, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Iola, KS, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Iola, KS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Iola, KS

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 Iola, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $2,663 in Iola, KS, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Iola, KS $2,663

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $3,857 in Iola, KS, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Iola, KS $3,857

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $5,052 in Iola, KS, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Iola, KS $5,052

Medellin is about 36% cheaper than Iola, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Iola, KS sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Iola, KS by 97%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$28.05 $28.05
-70.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$60.4 $60.4
-22.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$10.79 $10.79
-12.23%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$5.07 $5.07
-38.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,727
$2.65 $2.65
-33.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,619
$2.20 $2.20
-35.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$4.61 $4.61
-31.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$6.31 $6.31
-9.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,969
$1.17 $1.17
30.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,429
$4.38 $4.38
-47.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,306
$2.19 $2.19
-11.42%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,942
$4.02 $4.02
-23.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$11.04 $11.04
-9.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$9.09 $9.09
14.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$15.34 $15.34
-9.00%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$4.32 $4.32
-6.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,956
$1.14 $1.14
34.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,823
$3.06 $3.06
-31.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,437
$4.33 $4.33
-47.11%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,839
$1.64 $1.64
28.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,542
$2.36 $2.36
-27.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,794
$1.77 $1.77
-33.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,123
$2.05 $2.05
-22.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$7.82 $7.82
-50.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.5K
$13.51 $13.51
3.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,712
$1.77 $1.77
-0.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,793
$3.85 $3.85
-29.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,825
$1.76 $1.76
-32.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$52.3 $52.3
45.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,859
$3.03 $3.03
-40.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,904
$1.41 $1.41
51.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$36.55 $36.55
-77.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,135
$0.94 $0.94
36.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$28.0K $28.0K
22.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$26.9K $26.9K
26.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.3K
$268 $268
-33.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$57.7 $57.7
-75.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$73.6 $73.6
-58.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$45.71 $45.71
-8.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$13.01 $13.01
-42.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$763 $763
3.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$10.1K $10.1K
21.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 279.9K
$71.4 $71.4
21.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$36.50 $36.50
62.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.6K
$79.6 $79.6
73.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.4K
$124 $124
-20.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,598 $1,598
-16.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$1,257 $1,257
-46.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$2,588 $2,588
-23.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$2,116 $2,116
-51.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$3,091 $3,091
32.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$2,520 $2,520
-23.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Iola, KS
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.36
72.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Iola, KS: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Iola, KS
$1.3K 88.5% $590
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Iola, KS
$352 14.6% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Iola, KS
$400 79.8% $177
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Iola, KS
$373 116% $200
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Iola, KS
$140 18.6% $32
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Iola, KS
$69 25.7% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Iola, KS
$72 26.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,598 in Iola, KS. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $60 in Iola, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $352 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Iola, KS
🕒 Local time
12:11 12:11 PM
11:11 11:11 AM
1 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
5,400
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,635 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Iola, KS 4,050 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Iola, KS

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 Iola, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Iola, KS?
Iola, KS costs about 57% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Iola, KS?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $3,995 in Iola, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Medellin or Iola, KS?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,341 there versus $1,598 in Iola, KS.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Iola, KS?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Iola, KS, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin and in Iola, KS?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $60 in Iola, KS. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Iola, KS?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Iola, KS at $2,663. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iola, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Iola, KS?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $2,663 in Iola, KS. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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