Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Itu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Itu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $675 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,216 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,758 in Itu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Itu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Itu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Itu 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.19 R$26.25

14.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.59 R$165

2.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.77 R$29.21

25.30%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.68 R$8.49

-2.98%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.74 R$3.73

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.47 R$2.37

55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.78 R$9.03

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.35 R$16.96

-3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.03 R$5.23

1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.39 R$7.02

-7.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.25 R$6.35

5.60%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.31 R$11.70

-1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.10 R$41.03

-46.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.52 R$17.80

67.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.54 R$28.02

55.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.59 R$8.07

41.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.28 R$6.47

-16.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.75 R$3.81

102.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.59 R$8.06

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.92 R$4.64

27.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.09 R$5.52

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.70 R$3.53

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.46 R$2.34

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.68 R$13.59

-16.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.88 R$29.76

87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.37 R$6.93

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.77 R$14.00

-14.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.92 R$4.67

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$38.22 R$194

9.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.86 R$4.37

63.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.88 R$4.47

115.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.53 R$43.19

-9.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.94 R$4.78

7.45%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.4K R$113.3K

-21.45%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$25.1K R$127.1K

5.57%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$47.26 R$239

77.06%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.66 R$54.0

-11.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.26 R$77.3

57.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.74 R$115

11.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.28 R$108

-10.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.45 R$22.55

-7.87%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$317 R$1,603

-1.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,888 R$34.9K

-12.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$45.30 R$229

28.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$36.74 R$186

-11.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$63.1 R$320

57.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$45.10 R$228

140.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$292 R$1,480

64.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$178 R$902

113.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$717 R$3,631

16.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$589 R$2,984

22.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,535 R$7,772

84.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,141 R$5,777

7.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$285 R$1,444

89.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Itu: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $292 in Itu. 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 90% 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 $33.00 in Itu. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $161 in Itu – so Itu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Itu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $675 in Itu – roughly 51% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,013 in Itu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Itu, 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 $33.00 in Itu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $675 in Itu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itu, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Itu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $675 in Itu to $1,017 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Itu. 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.