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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,555 per month in Medellin vs $727 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Medellin vs $1,339 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Medellin vs $1,952 in Itu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 114% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 15% above the global median, while Itu is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.7K

$5.53 R$28.89

37.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 145.7K

$38.09 R$199

17.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.1K

$6.04 R$31.54

52.98%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,591

$1.84 R$9.59

60.33%

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

$1.80 COP 5,861

$0.76 R$3.95

136.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,391

$0.46 R$2.39

193.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,544

$2.41 R$12.60

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

$4.55 R$23.74

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,663

$1.02 R$5.32

40.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,785

$1.43 R$7.45

67.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,209

$1.13 R$5.92

41.59%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,364

$2.62 R$13.71

9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.6K

$8.78 R$45.87

10.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.7K

$3.81 R$19.91

147.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.1K

$5.62 R$29.36

135.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.2K

$1.71 R$8.92

119.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,703

$1.30 R$6.81

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,829

$0.74 R$3.88

183.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,930

$1.80 R$9.39

18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,259

$0.94 R$4.90

104.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,984

$1.36 R$7.13

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,549

$0.75 R$3.90

45.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,843

$0.50 R$2.59

136.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.3K

$2.66 R$13.89

42.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.8K

$5.79 R$30.22

127.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,337

$1.62 R$8.48

1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,410

$2.90 R$15.17

-21.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,825

$0.94 R$4.93

25.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

$38.91 R$203

89.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,157

$0.98 R$5.10

30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,434

$0.98 R$5.13

102.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.7K

$8.96 R$46.78

-11.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,211

$0.93 R$4.84

38.71%

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

$26.8K COP 87.2M

$22.8K R$119.0K

17.54%

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

$34.7K COP 112.9M

$27.2K R$142.1K

27.45%

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

$158 COP 513.6K

$43.99 R$230

258.74%

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

$13.39 COP 43.6K

$11.31 R$59.0

18.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 88.8K

$15.95 R$83.3

71.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 143.7K

$25.37 R$132

74.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.0K

$27.09 R$141

-40.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

$4.66 R$24.34

37.12%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$421 R$2,200

84.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.6M

$7,354 R$38.4K

19.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.2K

$48.15 R$251

71.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 182.6K

$38.73 R$202

44.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 425.7K

$67.4 R$352

93.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.1K

$47.45 R$248

102.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

$306 R$1,600

228.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

$194 R$1,012

223.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.9M

$753 R$3,933

142.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

$640 R$3,345

51.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

$1,585 R$8,279

146.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

$1,103 R$5,759

42.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$282 R$1,474

119.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.12

-1.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Itu: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Medellin versus $306 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 120% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Itu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $170 – making Itu 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 Itu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,555 in Medellin, $727 in Itu – roughly 114% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,333 per month in Medellin and $1,090 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $38.00 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 $1,555 in Medellin and $727 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 $727, than in Medellin at $1,555. 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 $727 in Itu to $1,555 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.