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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $725 in Koysinjaq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,072 in Koysinjaq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,420 in Koysinjaq.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than in Koysinjaq, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Koysinjaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.34 IQD 3,062

152.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$12.41 IQD 16.3K

165.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.74 IQD 11.4K

-14.99%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.55 IQD 2,028

6.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.40 IQD 520

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.19 IQD 247

310.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.91 IQD 2,504

-9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.13 IQD 2,783

49.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.18 IQD 1,540

-6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.78 IQD 1,025

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.13 IQD 1,480

22.12%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.55 IQD 2,027

40.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.21 IQD 9,441

-37.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.88 IQD 5,080

49.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.28 IQD 12.2K

-3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.78 IQD 1,026

197.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.13 IQD 1,473

-6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.12 IQD 1,469

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.56 IQD 732

142.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.59 IQD 778

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.59 IQD 769

98.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.36 IQD 477

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.36 IQD 473

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.26 IQD 2,955

-1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.58 IQD 16.5K

-3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.42 IQD 1,862

-16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.95 IQD 2,549

27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.40 IQD 520

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

34.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.54 IQD 2,018

-7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.75 IQD 980

160.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.74 IQD 4,892

110.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.66 IQD 860

50.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

-9.55%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$18.5K IQD 24.3M

44.68%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$102 IQD 133.0K

-18.30%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

-44.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$30.39 IQD 39.8K

-22.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.06 IQD 48.5K

-31.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$17.04 IQD 22.3K

12.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$11.44 IQD 15.0K

-65.47%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

388.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,154 IQD 1.5M

417.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$15.40 IQD 20.2K

289.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

67.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

25.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$19.48 IQD 25.5K

451.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$243 IQD 318.5K

95.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$177 IQD 231.2K

111.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$585 IQD 766.6K

45.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$340 IQD 445.3K

111.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Koysinjaq: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $243 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 $193 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 38% 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 $1,504 in Medellin and $1,087 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: $475 in Medellin versus $243 in Koysinjaq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $725 in Koysinjaq – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Koysinjaq runs roughly 35% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $725 in Koysinjaq versus $1,003 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 $725 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.