Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isfahan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isfahan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $478 in Isfahan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $833 in Isfahan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,188 in Isfahan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 112% more than Isfahan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Isfahan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Isfahan 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.02 $3.02

98.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$10.65 $10.65

208.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.03 $3.03

133.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 $1.03

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.82 $0.82

108.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.48 $0.48

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.94 $0.94

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.55 $0.55

98.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.42 $0.42

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.28 $2.28

-39.47%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.50 $1.50

46.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$2.81 $2.81

56.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.11 $3.11

81.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.98 $9.98

-10.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.63 $0.63

271.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.41 $1.41

-24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.05 $1.05

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.56 $0.56

146.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.61 $0.61

88.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.48 $0.48

141.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.58 $0.58

53.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.21 $0.21

300.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.52 $0.52

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 $0.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.08 $2.08

9.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.29 $0.29

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$13.06 $13.06

217.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.52 $0.52

182.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.31 $0.31

532.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.97 $1.97

292.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.84 $0.84

13.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$67.9K $67.9K

-73.28%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$59.8K $59.8K

-55.67%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$14.84 $14.84

454.25%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$1.87 $1.87

408.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$7.62 $7.62

217.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$13.36 $13.36

93.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$10.70 $10.70

77.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$1.09 $1.09

260.55%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$71.9 $71.9

330.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$579 $579

929.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$18.06 $18.06

224.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$24.12 $24.12

34.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$85.8 $85.8

19.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$36.61 $36.61

196.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$291 $291

63.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$193 $193

96.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$899 $899

-6.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$532 $532

36.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,200 $1,200

132.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$717 $717

68.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$207 $207

146.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

26.86

-50.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Isfahan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $291 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 147% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Isfahan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $105 – making Isfahan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 112% more than Isfahan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $717 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $11.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $478 in Isfahan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Isfahan, where all-in costs run around $478, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $478 versus $1,013 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.