Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iowa City, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iowa City, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,394 in Iowa City, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $3,329 in Iowa City, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $4,264 in Iowa City, IA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 30% less than in Iowa City, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Iowa City, IA 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$13.86 $13.86

-42.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$66.8 $66.8

-28.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$9.10 $9.10

8.68%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$5.80 $5.80

-46.03%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.90 $2.90

-34.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$2.22 $2.22

-31.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$5.05 $5.05

-38.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$6.83 $6.83

-15.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.87 $0.87

65.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$2.54 $2.54

-1.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.42 $4.42

-59.95%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.47 $3.47

-14.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.28 $9.28

8.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$10.53 $10.53

-3.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$20.54 $20.54

-30.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.38 $3.38

22.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.22 $1.22

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.69 $2.69

-16.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.73 $4.73

-52.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.05 $2.05

-0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$3.09 $3.09

-50.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.96 $1.96

-40.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$2.44 $2.44

-46.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$9.07 $9.07

-57.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$15.69 $15.69

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.71 $1.71

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.43 $4.43

-35.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$16.07 $16.07

400.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.92 $3.92

-66.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.95 $1.95

12.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$43.35 $43.35

-79.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.99 $0.99

38.38%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$35.4K $35.4K

-21.30%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$25.1K $25.1K

42.54%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$270 $270

-34.32%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$53.0 $53.0

-73.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$83.0 $83.0

-64.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$49.70 $49.70

-9.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$20.39 $20.39

-16.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$13.57 $13.57

-50.99%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$1,291 $1,291

-37.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$23.6K $23.6K

-61.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$63.0 $63.0

41.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$49.61 $49.61

18.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$102 $102

35.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$114 $114

-10.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,205 $1,205

-11.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,066 $1,066

-37.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,311 $2,311

-18.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,530 $1,530

-32.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$3,763 $3,763

11.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,899 $1,899

-11.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,661 $3,661

-81.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.26

74.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Iowa City, IA: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,205 in Iowa City, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 440% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $67.0 in Iowa City, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $365 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 Iowa City, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 440% lower in Iowa City, IA. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,205 in Iowa City, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 401% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $1,291 in Iowa City, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,394 in Iowa City, IA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iowa City, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Iowa City, IA 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.