Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Irati Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Irati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $726 in Irati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,175 in Irati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,623 in Irati.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than in Irati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Irati 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$7.28 R$36.97

-18.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$35.84 R$182

-8.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.23 R$31.63

19.26%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.36 R$6.91

21.32%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.92 R$4.69

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.67 R$3.41

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.27 R$6.46

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.86 R$9.44

70.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.70 R$3.54

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.06 R$5.40

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.72 R$3.68

91.67%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.29 R$6.52

68.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.59 R$28.37

-19.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.05 R$15.48

89.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.53 R$38.22

19.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.36 R$6.89

70.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.69 R$3.48

53.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.74 R$3.74

105.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.21 R$6.13

12.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.74 R$3.77

52.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.56 R$2.85

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.42 R$2.14

114.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.54 R$2.75

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.93 R$9.78

15.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.97 R$40.44

52.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.01 R$5.10

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.46 R$7.38

69.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.89 R$4.49

-4.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$38.63 R$196

7.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.23 R$6.27

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.67 R$3.39

191.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.13 R$26.05

53.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.04 R$5.29

-4.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$16.1K R$81.9K

9.00%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.6K R$120.0K

13.33%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$54.2 R$275

53.04%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.05 R$66.2

-25.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$16.25 R$82.5

44.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.68 R$115

11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$21.81 R$111

-12.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.40 R$32.47

-38.28%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$266 R$1,348

18.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,727 R$29.1K

4.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$45.77 R$232

31.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$42.71 R$217

-25.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$79.6 R$404

27.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$52.7 R$267

103.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$310 R$1,571

53.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$216 R$1,096

73.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$576 R$2,924

47.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$434 R$2,204

65.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,645 R$8,347

98.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,179 R$5,983

22.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$501 R$2,541

24.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.2

31.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Irati: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $310 in Irati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 25% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Irati. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $136, with Irati cheaper for home cooking.

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 Irati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Irati wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Irati the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $310 in Irati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Irati runs roughly 8% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $266 in Irati. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $726 in Irati versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Irati but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Irati the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Irati delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $726 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Irati hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Irati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.