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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $728 in Koysinjaq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,075 in Koysinjaq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,422 in Koysinjaq.

Living in Medellin is roughly 42% more expensive than Koysinjaq, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.23 IQD 2,924

165.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$12.07 IQD 15.8K

171.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.94 IQD 11.7K

-19.46%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.48 IQD 1,945

14.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.40 IQD 520

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.20 IQD 263

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.02 IQD 2,653

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.16 IQD 2,830

43.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.18 IQD 1,551

-10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.76 IQD 993

64.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.12 IQD 1,473

24.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.49 IQD 1,955

51.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.53 IQD 9,862

-42.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.86 IQD 5,060

51.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.10 IQD 11.9K

-2.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.75 IQD 981

198.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.17 IQD 1,533

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.13 IQD 1,476

35.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.55 IQD 720

149.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.55 IQD 718

105.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.55 IQD 716

103.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.36 IQD 478

136.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.37 IQD 481

145.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.35 IQD 3,079

-0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.18 IQD 16.0K

-8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.43 IQD 1,878

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.92 IQD 2,516

23.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.37 IQD 482

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$31.44 IQD 41.2K

30.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.56 IQD 2,050

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.79 IQD 1,041

141.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.85 IQD 5,041

108.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.70 IQD 918

34.29%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

-8.05%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

46.39%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$99.2 IQD 130.0K

-15.40%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.85 IQD 23.4K

-46.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$29.90 IQD 39.2K

-19.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.01 IQD 47.2K

-28.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

14.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$11.64 IQD 15.3K

-66.32%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

375.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,128 IQD 1.5M

424.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

283.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.48 IQD 25.5K

63.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$83.2 IQD 109.0K

20.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$19.18 IQD 25.1K

458.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$240 IQD 314.6K

102.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$177 IQD 231.7K

108.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$584 IQD 765.5K

41.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$344 IQD 450.2K

108.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Koysinjaq: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $240 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 $161 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 42% 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 $1,550 in Medellin and $1,093 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: $487 in Medellin versus $240 in Koysinjaq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $728 in Koysinjaq – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Koysinjaq runs roughly 31% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $728 in Koysinjaq versus $1,034 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 $728 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 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.