😐A single person spends $1,708 per month in Ancona vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,580 per month in Ancona vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,451 per month in Ancona vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Ancona costs about 65% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Ancona sits 28% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.31€16.49
$5.92COP 21.5K
226.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.3€69.4
$32.75COP 119.1K
148.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.41€9.74
$7.20COP 26.2K
58.47%
Cappuccino
$2.07€1.77
$1.70COP 6,186
21.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69€2.30
$1.10COP 3,996
144.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43€1.22
$0.72COP 2,625
98.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.91€5.05
$1.67COP 6,067
253.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.96€5.09
$3.10COP 11.3K
92.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.18€1.01
$1.06COP 3,837
11.32%
White Bread(500g)
$2.45€2.09
$1.25COP 4,531
96.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20€1.88
$1.39COP 5,060
58.27%
Eggs
$2.89€2.47
$2.26COP 8,229
27.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.69€13.40
$4.33COP 15.8K
262.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.21€9.57
$5.84COP 21.2K
91.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.74€18.57
$8.83COP 32.1K
146.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.41€2.06
$2.24COP 8,159
7.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.56€1.33
$1.08COP 3,911
44.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.56€2.19
$1.53COP 5,563
67.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.06€2.62
$1.37COP 4,987
123.36%
Potato(1kg)
$1.61€1.38
$1.13COP 4,109
42.48%
Onion(1kg)
$1.73€1.48
$1.12COP 4,067
54.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51€1.29
$0.85COP 3,080
77.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52€0.44
$0.91COP 3,305
-42.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.11€6.07
$2.33COP 8,477
205.15%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.90€5.03
$11.13COP 40.5K
-46.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61€1.38
$1.19COP 4,342
35.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19€1.87
$2.37COP 8,617
-7.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.45
$0.79COP 2,859
115.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.84€34.02
$41.13COP 149.6K
-3.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.65€4.83
$1.44COP 5,223
292.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.57€1.34
$1.91COP 6,952
-17.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.40€25.11
$8.02COP 29.2K
266.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.02€1.72
$0.94COP 3,410
114.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K€23.6K
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
53.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K€23.4K
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
2.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$284€242
$84.0COP 305.4K
237.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.71€12.56
$9.60COP 34.9K
53.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.18€31.75
$24.16COP 87.9K
53.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$66.1€56.5
$25.88COP 94.1K
155.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.07€17.14
$19.04COP 69.3K
5.41%
Cinema Ticket
$11.64€9.94
$3.92COP 14.2K
196.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$296€253
$306COP 1.1M
-3.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,953€6,792
$5,919COP 21.5M
34.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.2€76.2
$57.9COP 210.6K
54.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.69€27.92
$31.82COP 115.7K
2.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.4€78.0
$99.9COP 363.3K
-8.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119€101
$107COP 389.7K
10.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$600€512
$487COP 1.8M
23.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477€407
$368COP 1.3M
29.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$941€804
$826COP 3.0M
14.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$709€606
$716COP 2.6M
-0.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,283€2,804
$2,925COP 10.6M
12.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,061€1,760
$1,407COP 5.1M
46.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ancona
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,795€1,533
$546COP 2.0M
229.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.9
13.43
-70.96%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ancona: April 25, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $600 in Ancona versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 229% higher in Ancona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Ancona versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 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
Ancona vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Ancona?
Yes – Ancona is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,563 per month in Ancona and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 3% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $296 per month in Ancona and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ancona or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Ancona at $1,708. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ancona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ancona or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Ancona or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ancona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.