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: $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,344 in Iowa City, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,596 in Medellin versus $3,313 in Iowa City, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Medellin versus $4,282 in Iowa City, IA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 57% less than in Iowa City, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Iowa City, IA is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$14.72 $14.72

-58.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$75.6 $75.6

-56.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$8.85 $8.85

-17.29%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$5.06 $5.06

-67.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$2.39 $2.39

-53.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$1.79 $1.79

-56.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$5.07 $5.07

-66.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$7.13 $7.13

-55.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$0.87 $0.87

27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$2.66 $2.66

-50.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$4.80 $4.80

-71.25%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$4.01 $4.01

-44.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$9.07 $9.07

-52.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$10.55 $10.55

-45.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$16.60 $16.60

-45.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$3.42 $3.42

-33.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.16 $1.16

-4.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$2.71 $2.71

-46.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$4.76 $4.76

-71.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$2.03 $2.03

-45.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$2.91 $2.91

-60.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$1.99 $1.99

-55.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$1.99 $1.99

-56.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$9.17 $9.17

-74.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$15.47 $15.47

-29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.69 $1.69

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$4.85 $4.85

-48.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$2.05 $2.05

-61.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$16.17 $16.17

152.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$4.41 $4.41

-67.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$2.11 $2.11

-9.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$42.23 $42.23

-81.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$0.86 $0.86

12.79%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$25.3K $25.3K

-28.41%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$25.1K $25.1K

4.94%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$214 $214

-62.00%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$50.4 $50.4

-80.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$75.8 $75.8

-67.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$50.1 $50.1

-48.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$20.21 $20.21

-6.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$12.22 $12.22

-68.17%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$1,243 $1,243

-75.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$25.1K $25.1K

-76.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$66.9 $66.9

-12.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$47.76 $47.76

-31.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$99.3 $99.3

2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$117 $117

-7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$1,210 $1,210

-60.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$1,093 $1,093

-66.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$2,426 $2,426

-65.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,538 $1,538

-53.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$3,818 $3,818

-24.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$1,907 $1,907

-27.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$3,581 $3,581

-84.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.43

108.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Iowa City, IA: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Medellin and $1,210 in Iowa City, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 561% 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: $33 in Medellin vs $76 in Iowa City, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $352 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 131% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Iowa City, IA earns 561% less. 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: $474 in Medellin versus $1,210 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 152% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Medellin versus $1,243 in Iowa City, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,344 in Iowa City, IA, a $1,500 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 131% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.