Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isabela Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isabela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,342 in Isabela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,958 in Isabela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,573 in Isabela.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 23% less than in Isabela, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Isabela is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$11.79 $11.79

-49.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$59.7 $59.7

-45.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.95 $7.95

-9.43%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.52 $3.52

-51.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.22 $1.22

-9.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.28 $1.28

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.21 $2.21

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.96 $3.96

-21.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.90 $1.90

-44.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.92 $2.92

-57.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.24 $1.24

12.10%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.98 $2.98

-24.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.65 $8.65

-49.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.58 $6.58

-11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.70 $12.70

-30.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.35 $4.35

-48.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.69 $2.69

-59.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.92 $3.92

-60.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.02 $4.02

-65.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$4.08 $4.08

-72.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.08 $3.08

-63.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.99 $2.99

-71.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.89 $1.89

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$12.05 $12.05

-80.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$15.63 $15.63

-28.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.53 $2.53

-52.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.15 $3.15

-24.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.49 $1.49

28.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$15.30 $15.30

-47.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.86 $0.86

9.30%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$36.4K $36.4K

-50.74%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.28%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$493 $493

-82.96%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$78.2 $78.2

-87.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$74.9 $74.9

-67.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$12.15 $12.15

-67.74%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$475 $475

-35.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$10.3K $10.3K

-42.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$46.43 $46.43

24.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$55.1 $55.1

-42.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$90.8 $90.8

10.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$105 $105

1.69%

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

$1,765 $1,765

-53.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.71

135.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Isabela: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $60.0 in Isabela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $339 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 Isabela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Isabela. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $2,014 in Isabela to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $475 in Isabela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $60.0 in Isabela. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,342 in Isabela, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Isabela. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,034 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Isabela 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 30% less than in Isabela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.