Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Libertyville, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $2,530 in Libertyville, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Libertyville, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,530
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Libertyville, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Libertyville, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,625 in Medellin versus $2,530 in Libertyville, IL.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Libertyville, IL $2,530

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,412 in Medellin versus $3,759 in Libertyville, IL.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Libertyville, IL $3,759

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Medellin versus $4,987 in Libertyville, IL.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Libertyville, IL $4,987

Living in Medellin costs roughly 36% less than in Libertyville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Libertyville, IL 87% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$15.12 $15.12
-45.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$55.2 $55.2
-14.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$10.12 $10.12
-8.70%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$4.45 $4.45
-31.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$2.27 $2.27
-20.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$2.31 $2.31
-40.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$4.39 $4.39
-26.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$6.09 $6.09
-8.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$0.77 $0.77
94.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$3.08 $3.08
-23.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$4.50 $4.50
-62.22%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$4.82 $4.82
-38.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$11.30 $11.30
-9.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$9.58 $9.58
1.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$21.81 $21.81
-36.27%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$6.03 $6.03
-31.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.13 $1.13
35.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$4.55 $4.55
-51.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$5.76 $5.76
-60.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$3.62 $3.62
-45.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$4.26 $4.26
-60.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$2.34 $2.34
-49.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$1.28 $1.28
-3.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$11.33 $11.33
-65.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$12.13 $12.13
13.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$2.05 $2.05
-19.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$3.48 $3.48
-31.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$1.74 $1.74
-28.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$5.05 $5.05
-74.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$1.84 $1.84
16.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$49.63 $49.63
-83.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$0.96 $0.96
40.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$27.0K $27.0K
28.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$26.4K $26.4K
31.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$234 $234
-28.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$51.7 $51.7
-73.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$59.2 $59.2
-50.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$37.44 $37.44
20.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$15.10 $15.10
-53.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,323 $1,323
-40.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$19.9K $19.9K
-54.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$52.3 $52.3
67.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$40.16 $40.16
44.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$110 $110
26.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$95.3 $95.3
3.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$1,412 $1,412
-27.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$1,312 $1,312
-52.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$2,278 $2,278
-17.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$2,401 $2,401
-58.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$2,754 $2,754
44.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$2,395 $2,395
-28.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$4,437 $4,437
-85.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.53
67.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Libertyville, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Libertyville, IL
$1.3K 112% $693
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Libertyville, IL
$392 31.7% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Libertyville, IL
$345 64.9% $136
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Libertyville, IL
$134 22.4% $39
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Libertyville, IL
$257 50.5% $86
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Libertyville, IL
$21 * 77.7% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Libertyville, IL
$68 14.6% $8.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $1,412 in Libertyville, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Libertyville, IL pays 569% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Medellin vs $55.0 in Libertyville, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $392 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Libertyville, IL
🕒 Local time
23:51 11:51 PM
23:51 11:51 PM
Same time as Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
20,500
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Libertyville, IL 4,190 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Libertyville, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Libertyville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Libertyville, IL?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Libertyville, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or in Libertyville, IL?
On paper, salaries run 569% lower in Libertyville, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Libertyville, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,412 in Libertyville, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Libertyville, IL?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Libertyville, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Libertyville, IL?
All in, you'll spend $1,625 per month in Medellin versus $2,530 in Libertyville, IL – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Libertyville, IL?
At $1,625 in Medellin versus $2,530 in Libertyville, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Libertyville, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Libertyville, IL?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,625 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Libertyville, IL?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Libertyville, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Libertyville, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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