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: $591 in Ardabil versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $915 in Ardabil versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,238 in Ardabil versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Ardabil costs roughly 42% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ardabil 56% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 $5.28

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-11.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.70 $16.70

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-49.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-19.36%

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

$1.63 COP 5,687

-9.20%

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

$0.46 $0.46

$1.09 COP 3,821

-57.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.73 COP 2,548

-30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.05 COP 3,662

-24.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 $0.54

$1.29 COP 4,515

-58.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.32 COP 4,617

131.82%

Eggs

$1.10 $1.10

$2.27 COP 7,927

-51.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.35 COP 15.2K

32.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-44.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$8.61 COP 30.0K

12.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.25 COP 7,844

-20.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.07 COP 3,733

47.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.52 COP 5,322

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.42 COP 4,964

-29.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.17 COP 4,084

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.17 COP 4,077

-35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.89 COP 3,096

34.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$0.90 COP 3,146

-74.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 $0.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.25 COP 7,837

-44.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.84 COP 2,916

-77.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.07 $10.07

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-76.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 $0.34

$1.41 COP 4,912

-75.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$1.90 COP 6,634

-84.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-74.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.01 COP 3,509

-27.72%

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

$73.9K $73.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

320.17%

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

$55.2K $55.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

108.17%

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

$15.94 $15.94

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-80.95%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-78.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.86 $5.86

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-75.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.81 $22.81

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-9.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.57 $12.57

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-34.33%

Cinema Ticket

$1.51 $1.51

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-63.17%

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

$115 $115

$312 COP 1.1M

-63.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,959 $1,959

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-67.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.44 $39.44

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-32.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 $22.29

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-31.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$99.6 COP 347.7K

11.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 $70.4

$109 COP 378.8K

-35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 $339

$482 COP 1.7M

-29.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 $202

$379 COP 1.3M

-46.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 $697

$837 COP 2.9M

-16.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 $319

$723 COP 2.5M

-55.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,098 $1,098

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-61.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 $581

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-52.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $339 in Ardabil and $482 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 $136 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 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $887 in Ardabil and $1,525 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 $482 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 317% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $115 in Ardabil versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $591 in Ardabil versus $1,017 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 72% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.