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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Isa Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,710 in Isa Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,701 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 24% lower, Isa Town 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.06 BHD 3.04

-26.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.59 BHD 10.02

25.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.83 BHD 2.57

5.86%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.58 BHD 1.72

-64.41%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.89 BHD 0.33

22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.26 BHD 0.10

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$6.78 BHD 2.56

-74.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.96 BHD 0.74

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.55 BHD 0.58

-16.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.76 BHD 1.42

-64.89%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.65 BHD 1.00

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.36 BHD 5.04

-67.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.78 BHD 2.56

-13.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$15.68 BHD 5.91

-45.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.26 BHD 0.85

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.23 BHD 0.84

-52.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.31 BHD 0.87

-34.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.95 BHD 0.74

-27.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.04 BHD 0.77

-42.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.42 BHD 0.54

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.97 BHD 0.36

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.84 BHD 0.32

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.08 BHD 0.41

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$13.41 BHD 5.05

212.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.17 BHD 1.95

-72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.81 BHD 0.31

24.69%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$13.5K BHD 5,092

96.10%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$40.10 BHD 15.11

-39.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$105 BHD 39.54

-75.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$10.41 BHD 3.92

-60.61%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,879 BHD 2,970

-23.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$40.05 BHD 15.10

44.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$13.08 BHD 4.93

148.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$81.0 BHD 30.53

22.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$107 BHD 40.17

1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,330 BHD 501

-37.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,046 BHD 394

-30.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,070 BHD 403

-49.44%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Isa Town: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 98% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,079 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $720 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 $720, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.