Cost of Living Comparison Between Rakvere and Ibague Cost of Living Comparison Between Rakvere and Ibague

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,248 in Rakvere versus $604 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,771 in Rakvere versus $912 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,293 in Rakvere versus $1,221 in Ibague.

Living in Rakvere is roughly 107% more expensive than in Ibague, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rakvere 7% lower, Ibague 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 €8.35

$4.95 COP 16.1K

92.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.16 €40.42

$22.16 COP 72.1K

108.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 €6.96

$4.85 COP 15.8K

63.92%

Cappuccino

$3.62 €3.17

$1.00 COP 3,268

262.00%

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

$2.34 €2.05

$0.93 COP 3,032

151.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.64 COP 2,092

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.95

$0.71 COP 2,303

535.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 €3.58

$2.22 COP 7,218

83.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.18 COP 3,829

-7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.71 COP 2,314

16.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.08

$0.75 COP 2,451

216.00%

Eggs

$2.12 €1.85

$1.96 COP 6,365

8.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.01 €7.02

$4.78 COP 15.5K

67.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 €5.91

$3.52 COP 11.5K

91.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 €9.15

$4.70 COP 15.3K

122.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 €1.66

$2.85 COP 9,262

-33.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 €1.13

$0.46 COP 1,513

180.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 €2.19

$0.75 COP 2,457

233.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.08

$0.49 COP 1,607

383.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 €0.88

$0.50 COP 1,635

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €1.01

$0.37 COP 1,210

210.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.56

$0.50 COP 1,637

258.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.53

$0.43 COP 1,401

41.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 €5.67

$2.86 COP 9,312

126.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 €9.08

$10.56 COP 34.4K

-1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.04

$0.50 COP 1,637

136.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.64 COP 2,079

82.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.72 COP 2,356

15.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.99 €20.13

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 €2.49

$1.46 COP 4,768

94.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 €0.62

$1.54 COP 4,999

-53.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.29 €17.77

$2.39 COP 7,785

748.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.70

$0.99 COP 3,235

96.97%

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

$20.8K €18.2K

$15.8K COP 51.6M

31.49%

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

$25.1K €22.0K

$25.5K COP 83.1M

-1.63%

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

$270 €236

$46.53 COP 151.5K

479.80%

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

$23.07 €20.20

$6.08 COP 19.8K

279.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 €27.50

$21.74 COP 70.8K

44.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 €47.97

$44.33 COP 144.3K

23.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.51

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 €4.53

$3.93 COP 12.8K

31.55%

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

$118 €103

$60.5 COP 196.9K

94.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,340 €7,304

$2,429 COP 7.9M

243.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 €104

$59.9 COP 194.8K

98.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 €30.70

$42.30 COP 137.7K

-17.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 €55.6

$85.7 COP 279.1K

-26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 €72.2

$59.7 COP 194.5K

37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 €300

$227 COP 739.2K

50.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 €252

$144 COP 468.7K

99.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 €500

$398 COP 1.3M

43.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 €308

$210 COP 684.6K

67.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,419 COP 4.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$974 COP 3.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,233 €1,080

$530 COP 1.7M

132.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

12.93

-82.21%

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

Last update for Rakvere: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ibague: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Rakvere and $227 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rakvere pays 133% 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: $46.00 in Rakvere vs $22.00 in Ibague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $133 per month, with Ibague 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

Rakvere vs Ibague: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibague is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 133% higher in Rakvere, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $343 in Rakvere versus $227 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Rakvere. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,248 per month in Rakvere versus $604 in Ibague – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $604 in Ibague versus $1,248 in Rakvere, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibague but tight or insufficient in Rakvere. The gap between the two cities makes Ibague the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibague is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rakvere, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rakvere and Ibague are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ibague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Rakvere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.