Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isfahan

For one person, living is cheaper in Isfahan: $475 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Isfahan
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Isfahan Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Isfahan

🇮🇷 Iran

$475

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Isfahan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Isfahan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $475 in Isfahan, rent included.

Medellin $1,589
Isfahan $475

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $801 in Isfahan, rent included.

Medellin $2,364
Isfahan $801

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,127 in Isfahan, rent included.

Medellin $3,139
Isfahan $1,127

Medellin costs about 234% more than Isfahan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Isfahan is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$2.96 $2.96

170.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.9K

$12.39 $12.39

275.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.4K

$2.99 $2.99

215.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 $0.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,374

$0.98 $0.98

196.94%

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

$1.75 COP 5,643

$0.48 $0.48

264.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,263

$0.49 $0.49

169.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,542

$0.48 $0.48

193.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,858

$0.43 $0.43

467.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,245

$1.89 $1.89

-13.76%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,084

$1.45 $1.45

94.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.2K

$2.86 $2.86

238.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.0K

$2.38 $2.38

291.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.3K

$10.55 $10.55

27.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$0.71 $0.71

463.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,768

$1.30 $1.30

13.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,839

$1.02 $1.02

107.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,253

$0.60 $0.60

275.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,155

$0.55 $0.55

247.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,214

$0.49 $0.49

230.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,696

$0.55 $0.55

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,063

$0.21 $0.21

500.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.48 $0.48

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 $0.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$2.08 $2.08

83.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,136

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,263

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,770

$0.31 $0.31

277.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 241.5K

$12.62 $12.62

494.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$0.51 $0.51

149.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,600

$0.29 $0.29

606.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.4K

$1.95 $1.95

320.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,088

$0.93 $0.93

36.56%

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

$26.8K COP 86.2M

$67.3K $67.3K

-60.21%

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

$34.4K COP 110.8M

$59.0K $59.0K

-41.69%

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

$162 COP 522.3K

$10.18 $10.18

1493.42%

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

$13.12 COP 42.3K

$2.00 $2.00

556.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.5K

$7.35 $7.35

282.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.7K

$13.71 $13.71

223.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.6K

$13.36 $13.36

22.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$1.02 $1.02

497.06%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$71.9 $71.9

962.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

$528 $528

1587.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 273.6K

$18.34 $18.34

363.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.1K

$24.42 $24.42

135.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 424.2K

$85.4 $85.4

54.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 308.3K

$36.85 $36.85

159.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$290 $290

254.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$194 $194

211.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$1,345 $1,345

34.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$456 $456

117.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

$1,175 $1,175

233.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$749 $749

118.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$205 $205

205.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

26.8

-59.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Isfahan: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Isfahan

$194 41.5% 67.9% $411

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Isfahan

$100 21.4% 65.2% $188

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Isfahan

$20 4.2% 90.4% $184

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Isfahan

$74 15.9% 55.4% $92

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Isfahan

$48 10.3% 70.9% $118

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Isfahan

$16 3.4% 82.7% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Isfahan

$16 3.4% 72.1% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $290 in Isfahan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 206% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Isfahan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $100 – making Isfahan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇮🇷 Isfahan

🕒 Local time

02:45 2:45 AM

11:15 11:15 AM

8 h 30 min ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,961,260

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.11 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,220 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,611 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Isfahan 12,970 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Isfahan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Isfahan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 234% more than Isfahan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $713 in Isfahan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Isfahan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $12.00 in Isfahan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Medellin and $475 in Isfahan. That's a gap of about 234%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Isfahan, where all-in costs run around $475, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Isfahan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Isfahan costs $475 versus $1,589 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Isfahan. 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.