Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Onchan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Onchan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,300 in Onchan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,125 in Onchan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,950 in Onchan, rent included.

Medellin is about 22% cheaper than Onchan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Onchan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Onchan 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$30.00 IMP 22.35

-80.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$109 IMP 81.4

-69.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$9.84 IMP 7.33

-27.95%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$5.46 IMP 4.06

-68.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$2.73 IMP 2.04

-59.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.99 IMP 1.49

-60.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$6.69 IMP 4.99

-74.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$6.19 IMP 4.61

-50.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$2.01 IMP 1.50

-45.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.99 IMP 1.49

-36.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$2.01 IMP 1.50

-31.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$4.20 IMP 3.13

-47.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.85 IMP 5.11

-35.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$8.39 IMP 6.25

-32.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$11.75 IMP 8.75

-24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.40 IMP 1.79

-2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.74 IMP 1.30

-39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$2.69 IMP 2.00

-44.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$2.82 IMP 2.10

-51.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$2.30 IMP 1.71

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.56 IMP 1.91

-54.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.66 IMP 1.24

-46.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$2.00 IMP 1.49

-58.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$22.55 IMP 16.80

-89.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.12 IMP 9.03

-12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$4.11 IMP 3.06

-70.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$3.60 IMP 2.68

-31.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$5.10 IMP 3.80

-71.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.55 IMP 1.15

26.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$81.2 IMP 60.5

-90.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$2.20 IMP 1.64

-56.82%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$34.4K IMP 25.7K

-47.34%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$35.9K IMP 26.8K

-26.29%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$308 IMP 230

-73.33%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$39.19 IMP 29.20

-75.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$70.6 IMP 52.6

-65.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$13.65 IMP 10.17

-71.21%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$1,305 IMP 973

-76.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$32.1K IMP 23.9K

-81.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$95.1 IMP 70.9

-38.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$42.09 IMP 31.36

-23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$125 IMP 93.1

-17.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$78.4 IMP 58.4

38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.66

266.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Onchan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $109 in Onchan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $305 – making Medellin 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 Onchan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Onchan is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,949 in Onchan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $109 in Onchan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Onchan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Onchan at $1,300. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Onchan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Onchan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.