Cost of Living Comparison Between Plainfield, IL and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Plainfield, IL and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,656 per month in Plainfield, IL vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,765 per month in Plainfield, IL vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,874 per month in Plainfield, IL vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Plainfield, IL costs about 162% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Plainfield, IL sits 97% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.07 $15.07

$6.14 COP 22.2K

145.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 $88.3

$33.05 COP 119.3K

167.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 $11.67

$7.32 COP 26.4K

59.43%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$1.66 COP 5,987

219.88%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$1.10 COP 3,987

156.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.78 COP 2,822

194.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$1.71 COP 6,188

258.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$3.17 COP 11.5K

149.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.11 COP 4,012

-30.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.31 COP 4,719

103.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.38 COP 4,980

134.78%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$2.22 COP 8,009

129.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$4.34 COP 15.7K

98.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.73 $8.73

$5.80 COP 20.9K

50.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 $13.66

$8.98 COP 32.4K

52.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.26 COP 8,164

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.11 COP 4,023

54.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.46 COP 5,284

102.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.37 COP 4,929

152.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.11 COP 4,009

103.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.16 COP 4,199

104.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.89 COP 3,211

119.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.87 COP 3,124

73.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 $8.24

$2.35 COP 8,495

250.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 $10.20

$10.86 COP 39.2K

-6.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.20 COP 4,330

78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.48 COP 8,946

22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.79 COP 2,842

150.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.42 COP 5,137

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.91 COP 6,900

16.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.66 $28.66

$7.65 COP 27.6K

274.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.97 COP 3,490

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

36.71%

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

$23.0K $23.0K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-12.44%

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

$172 $172

$81.3 COP 293.5K

111.18%

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

$42.21 $42.21

$9.63 COP 34.8K

338.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 $51.7

$24.36 COP 88.0K

112.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.27 $43.27

$26.02 COP 93.9K

66.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 $11.17

$3.89 COP 14.0K

187.15%

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

$1,214 $1,214

$304 COP 1.1M

299.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

304.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.16 $44.16

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-24.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 $40.31

$32.48 COP 117.2K

24.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 $66.2

$102 COP 367.3K

-34.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 $158

$108 COP 390.4K

46.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$474 COP 1.7M

236.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$371 COP 1.3M

339.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,376 $2,376

$848 COP 3.1M

180.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,361 $2,361

$716 COP 2.6M

229.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,871 COP 10.4M

-17.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 $2,307

$1,375 COP 5.0M

67.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

13.43

-51.45%

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

Last update for Plainfield, IL: April 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,594 in Plainfield, IL versus $474 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Plainfield, IL versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $190 – 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

Plainfield, IL vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plainfield, IL is pricier by about 162%, 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 $3,984 per month in Plainfield, IL and $1,522 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Plainfield, IL and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Plainfield, IL, 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 $1,014, than in Plainfield, IL at $2,656. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plainfield, IL 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, Plainfield, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.