Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ishim Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ishim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $995 in Ishim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,517 in Ishim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,040 in Ishim, rent included.

Medellin costs about 69% more than Ishim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ishim is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$11.05 ₽929

-27.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$35.68 ₽3,002

34.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$6.11 ₽514

61.87%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.60 ₽219

20.38%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.72 ₽145

11.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.59 ₽49.78

155.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.71 ₽144

82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.44 ₽290

67.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.04 ₽87.9

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.77 ₽65.0

223.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.14 ₽95.9

55.26%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.29 ₽109

129.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.06 ₽762

11.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.26 ₽359

137.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$8.51 ₽716

68.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.70 ₽143

143.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.71 ₽144

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.79 ₽151

25.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.79 ₽151

25.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.39 ₽32.98

423.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.27 ₽22.50

470.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.25 ₽105

-6.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.85 ₽71.2

54.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.71 ₽228

43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.43 ₽625

88.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.02 ₽86.1

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.94 ₽163

47.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.49 ₽40.99

148.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$2.24 ₽188

-41.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.31 ₽25.88

606.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$5.38 ₽453

61.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.76 ₽64.3

80.26%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$31.5K ₽2.6M

-11.51%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$32.0K ₽2.7M

11.72%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$117 ₽9,806

52.12%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$5.97 ₽502

132.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$8.09 ₽680

267.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$34.22 ₽2,879

31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$23.37 ₽1,966

-26.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$6.87 ₽578

-3.20%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$304 ₽25.5K

167.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$6,171 ₽519.2K

48.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$68.7 ₽5,777

30.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$45.54 ₽3,831

29.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$114 ₽9,597

21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$96.8 ₽8,145

5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$462 ₽38.8K

130.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$312 ₽26.2K

112.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$786 ₽66.1K

140.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$525 ₽44.2K

95.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,246 ₽189.0K

86.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,465 ₽123.2K

14.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

25.7

-57.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ishim: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $462 in Ishim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Ishim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $178 – making Ishim 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 Ishim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,492 in Ishim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ishim, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Ishim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ishim, where all-in costs run around $995, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ishim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ishim – 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 Ishim. 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.