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: $1,251 in Rakvere versus $612 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,757 in Rakvere versus $914 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,264 in Rakvere versus $1,215 in Ibague.

Living in Rakvere is roughly 104% more expensive than Ibague, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rakvere 7% lower, Ibague 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.15 €7.88

$4.80 COP 17.1K

90.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.89 €39.51

$21.81 COP 77.6K

110.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 €7.17

$5.07 COP 18.0K

64.30%

Cappuccino

$3.70 €3.19

$0.99 COP 3,512

273.74%

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

$2.40 €2.07

$0.96 COP 3,415

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.60

$0.65 COP 2,327

184.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 €4.05

$0.77 COP 2,722

511.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 €3.57

$2.13 COP 7,578

94.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.14 COP 4,041

-6.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.75 COP 2,658

10.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.75 COP 2,677

200.00%

Eggs

$2.02 €1.74

$1.93 COP 6,874

4.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 €6.77

$4.88 COP 17.4K

61.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 €5.98

$3.66 COP 13.0K

89.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 €8.92

$4.93 COP 17.5K

110.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.99 COP 10.6K

-36.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 €1.15

$0.46 COP 1,624

189.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 €2.08

$0.74 COP 2,639

225.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.46 COP 1,631

434.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 €0.85

$0.47 COP 1,659

110.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.35 COP 1,244

214.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.50 COP 1,782

258.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.43 COP 1,547

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 €5.51

$2.90 COP 10.3K

120.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.56 €9.09

$9.36 COP 33.3K

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.47 COP 1,666

142.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.63 COP 2,252

80.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.72 COP 2,557

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.69 €19.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 €2.44

$1.42 COP 5,050

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 €0.63

$1.50 COP 5,324

-51.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.92 €17.15

$2.39 COP 8,508

733.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 €1.67

$0.94 COP 3,332

106.38%

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

$20.5K €17.6K

$15.7K COP 55.7M

30.68%

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

$25.2K €21.7K

$25.2K COP 89.8M

-0.23%

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

$270 €232

$47.84 COP 170.2K

464.42%

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

$22.59 €19.45

$6.14 COP 21.8K

267.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.86 €27.43

$21.90 COP 77.9K

45.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 €46.41

$42.85 COP 152.5K

25.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 €15.93

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 €4.58

$3.85 COP 13.7K

38.18%

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

$117 €101

$59.6 COP 212.1K

96.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,181 €7,043

$2,440 COP 8.7M

235.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 €102

$59.1 COP 210.3K

100.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.16 €30.27

$41.35 COP 147.1K

-14.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 €54.0

$84.0 COP 299.0K

-25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 €68.6

$61.0 COP 217.2K

30.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 €296

$232 COP 823.9K

48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 €247

$146 COP 518.9K

96.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 €489

$392 COP 1.4M

44.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 €300

$214 COP 761.4K

62.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,250 COP 4.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 COP 3.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,285 €1,107

$473 COP 1.7M

171.73%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ibague: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Rakvere and $232 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rakvere pays 172% 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 $213 vs $132 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 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rakvere pays 172% more on average, 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: $344 in Rakvere versus $232 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Rakvere. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,251 per month in Rakvere versus $612 in Ibague – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $612 in Ibague versus $1,251 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 104% less than in Rakvere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.