Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ishkashim Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ishkashim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $182 in Ishkashim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $323 in Ishkashim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $464 in Ishkashim.

Living in Medellin is roughly 466% more expensive than in Ishkashim, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ishkashim 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.69 ؋243

66.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$6.99 ؋460

366.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ؋231

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ؋192

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.44 ؋29.07

138.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.16 ؋10.43

381.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.89 ؋58.3

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.30 ؋19.97

333.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.48 ؋97.3

-5.41%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.76 ؋116

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.81 ؋185

56.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.18 ؋341

13.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.65 ؋372

52.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.83 ؋54.4

174.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.97 ؋64.1

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.08 ؋71.0

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.12 ؋73.5

20.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.35 ؋22.91

222.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.38 ؋24.71

197.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 ؋36.20

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$0.76 ؋49.75

207.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$14.26 ؋939

184.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.42 ؋93.6

-30.28%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$8,581 ؋564.8K

110.12%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$7.22 ؋475

247.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.03 ؋1,713

123.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.26 ؋1,860

13.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ishkashim: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $7.00 in Ishkashim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $104 per month, with Ishkashim 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 Ishkashim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ishkashim wins on cost – living expenses run 466% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ishkashim the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $273 in Ishkashim 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Ishkashim – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Ishkashim runs roughly 185% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $182 in Ishkashim versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ishkashim but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ishkashim the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ishkashim delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $182 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ishkashim hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ishkashim gentler on the wallet – expenses run 466% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.