Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isa Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isa Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $732 in Isa Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,753 in Isa Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,773 in Isa Town, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Isa Town, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Isa Town are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Isa Town 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.12 BHD 3.05

-27.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$26.86 BHD 10.10

21.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.47 BHD 2.43

11.28%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.61 BHD 1.73

-63.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.83 BHD 0.31

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.28 BHD 0.11

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$6.82 BHD 2.56

-75.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.98 BHD 0.74

-46.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.61 BHD 0.61

-22.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.81 BHD 1.43

-63.52%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.63 BHD 0.99

-14.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$13.20 BHD 4.96

-67.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.66 BHD 2.50

-12.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$15.71 BHD 5.91

-43.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.32 BHD 0.87

-3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.29 BHD 0.86

-52.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.27 BHD 0.85

-32.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.97 BHD 0.74

-30.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.94 BHD 0.73

-41.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.50 BHD 0.56

-25.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.97 BHD 0.36

-12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.78 BHD 0.30

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.04 BHD 0.39

-24.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$13.11 BHD 4.93

213.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$5.41 BHD 2.04

-73.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.77 BHD 0.29

22.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$13.5K BHD 5,064

98.91%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$40.28 BHD 15.15

-40.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$105 BHD 39.35

-75.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.55 BHD 3.97

-62.84%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,068 BHD 3,034

-26.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$39.13 BHD 14.71

47.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$13.40 BHD 5.04

137.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$79.8 BHD 29.99

25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$107 BHD 40.37

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,325 BHD 498

-37.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,053 BHD 396

-31.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,041 BHD 391

-47.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Isa Town: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 91% higher in Isa Town, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Isa Town. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $248 in Isa Town – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Isa Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,098 in Isa Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $732 in Isa Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Isa Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isa Town, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Isa Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isa Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Isa Town. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.