Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Koysinjaq Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Koysinjaq

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $716 in Koysinjaq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,072 in Koysinjaq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,427 in Koysinjaq.

Living in Medellin is roughly 44% more expensive than in Koysinjaq, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Koysinjaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.32 IQD 3,036

158.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$12.37 IQD 16.2K

165.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$8.79 IQD 11.5K

-15.59%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$1.49 IQD 1,955

10.74%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.36 IQD 474

197.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.18 IQD 237

322.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.01 IQD 2,626

-14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.05 IQD 2,683

56.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.13 IQD 1,481

-7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.80 IQD 1,048

63.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.14 IQD 1,490

17.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.57 IQD 2,051

39.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$7.56 IQD 9,893

-41.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$3.80 IQD 4,974

49.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$9.33 IQD 12.2K

-8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$0.74 IQD 973

216.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.14 IQD 1,488

-2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.18 IQD 1,551

28.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$0.55 IQD 720

149.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$0.54 IQD 714

112.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$0.59 IQD 779

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.36 IQD 475

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.40 IQD 519

115.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$2.28 IQD 2,985

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$12.26 IQD 16.1K

-5.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.44 IQD 1,884

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$1.93 IQD 2,524

28.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.36 IQD 475

119.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$31.64 IQD 41.4K

29.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.57 IQD 2,052

-6.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.74 IQD 969

159.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$3.77 IQD 4,943

106.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.65 IQD 858

55.38%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

-6.50%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

44.18%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$99.5 IQD 130.3K

-18.52%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$17.78 IQD 23.3K

-46.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$30.34 IQD 39.7K

-21.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

-27.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$17.05 IQD 22.3K

9.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$11.47 IQD 15.0K

-64.34%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$62.9 IQD 82.3K

400.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$1,155 IQD 1.5M

421.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$15.50 IQD 20.3K

285.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$19.21 IQD 25.2K

66.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$83.9 IQD 109.9K

20.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$19.24 IQD 25.2K

446.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$239 IQD 313.5K

102.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$178 IQD 233.6K

104.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$572 IQD 749.1K

44.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$341 IQD 447.2K

113.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.67

136.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Koysinjaq: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $239 in Koysinjaq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Koysinjaq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $162 per month, with Koysinjaq 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 Koysinjaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koysinjaq wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Koysinjaq the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $1,074 in Koysinjaq 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Medellin versus $239 in Koysinjaq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $716 in Koysinjaq – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Koysinjaq runs roughly 29% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $716 in Koysinjaq versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Koysinjaq but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Koysinjaq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Koysinjaq delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $716 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Koysinjaq hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Koysinjaq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.