Cost of Living Comparison Between Ardabil and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ardabil and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $589 in Ardabil versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $927 in Ardabil versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,266 in Ardabil versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Ardabil costs roughly 43% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ardabil 56% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 $5.38

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-9.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.28 $17.28

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-47.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 $5.77

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-19.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 $1.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.48 $1.48

$1.70 COP 6,186

-12.94%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$1.10 COP 3,996

-59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.72 COP 2,625

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.06 COP 3,837

-31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 $0.58

$1.25 COP 4,531

-53.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.39 COP 5,060

111.51%

Eggs

$1.10 $1.10

$2.26 COP 8,229

-51.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$4.33 COP 15.8K

38.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-45.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$8.83 COP 32.1K

10.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.24 COP 8,159

-19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.08 COP 3,911

50.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.53 COP 5,563

24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.37 COP 4,987

-23.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.13 COP 4,109

-4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.12 COP 4,067

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.85 COP 3,080

44.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.91 COP 3,305

-72.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.80 $1.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.33 COP 8,477

-46.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.79 COP 2,859

-74.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 $10.12

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-75.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 $0.37

$1.44 COP 5,223

-74.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$1.91 COP 6,952

-84.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-75.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.94 COP 3,410

-23.40%

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

$73.4K $73.4K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

309.77%

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

$54.1K $54.1K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

101.85%

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

$16.04 $16.04

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-80.90%

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

$2.06 $2.06

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-78.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.72 $5.72

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-76.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.81 $22.81

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-11.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.54 $12.54

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-34.14%

Cinema Ticket

$1.46 $1.46

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-62.76%

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

$117 $117

$306 COP 1.1M

-61.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,942 $1,942

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-67.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.80 $38.80

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-33.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.55 $22.55

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-29.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$99.9 COP 363.3K

8.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 $70.9

$107 COP 389.7K

-33.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 $339

$487 COP 1.8M

-30.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 $200

$368 COP 1.3M

-45.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 $702

$826 COP 3.0M

-14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 $322

$716 COP 2.6M

-55.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,072 $1,072

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-63.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$623 $623

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-55.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.24

13.43

65.60%

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

Last update for Ardabil: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $339 in Ardabil and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Ardabil vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $137 vs $190 per month, with Ardabil cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ardabil vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ardabil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $883 in Ardabil and $1,550 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $339 in Ardabil versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ardabil runs roughly 306% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $117 in Ardabil versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $589 in Ardabil versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ardabil but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ardabil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Ardabil and Medellin 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 Ardabil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.