Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,455 in Ashgabat versus $1,618 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,062 in Ashgabat versus $2,460 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,669 in Ashgabat versus $3,302 in Medellin.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 114% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashgabat 155% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.94 TMT 104

$7.69 COP 24.2K

302.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.9 TMT 292

$43.28 COP 136.5K

100.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 TMT 43.30

$9.50 COP 30.0K

35.68%

Cappuccino

$6.89 TMT 23.14

$2.81 COP 8,857

145.20%

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

$1.53 TMT 5.13

$1.84 COP 5,786

-16.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 TMT 2.79

$1.51 COP 4,751

-45.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 TMT 18.90

$3.08 COP 9,723

82.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.41 TMT 45.05

$5.49 COP 17.3K

144.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.48 TMT 15.05

$1.34 COP 4,238

234.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 TMT 7.05

$2.31 COP 7,268

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 TMT 19.21

$1.47 COP 4,632

289.12%

Eggs

$5.92 TMT 19.88

$2.69 COP 8,473

120.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.65 TMT 127

$8.87 COP 28.0K

324.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.60 TMT 65.9

$10.64 COP 33.5K

84.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.29 TMT 78.3

$14.47 COP 45.6K

60.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 TMT 17.12

$3.75 COP 11.8K

35.73%

Banana (1kg)

$8.65 TMT 29.06

$1.39 COP 4,372

522.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.54 TMT 25.34

$2.22 COP 7,005

239.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 TMT 12.48

$1.98 COP 6,243

87.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 TMT 7.85

$2.05 COP 6,478

14.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 TMT 4.91

$1.60 COP 5,044

-8.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 TMT 9.04

$1.04 COP 3,284

158.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 TMT 3.78

$1.27 COP 4,000

-11.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.04 TMT 87.5

$3.75 COP 11.8K

594.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.33 TMT 139

$13.10 COP 41.3K

215.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.05 TMT 16.98

$1.58 COP 4,970

219.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 TMT 9.35

$3.02 COP 9,518

-7.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 TMT 0.49

$1.17 COP 3,682

-87.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 TMT 33.12

$76.0 COP 239.5K

-87.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 TMT 9.44

$1.50 COP 4,738

87.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TMT 3.02

$2.09 COP 6,576

-56.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 TMT 29.25

$8.10 COP 25.5K

7.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 TMT 1.40

$1.26 COP 3,980

-66.67%

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

$43.1K TMT 144.9K

$26.9K COP 84.8M

60.27%

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

$56.5K TMT 190.0K

$34.9K COP 110.0M

62.08%

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

$580 TMT 1,950

$148 COP 467.6K

291.30%

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

$56.6 TMT 190

$13.03 COP 41.1K

334.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 TMT 351

$31.48 COP 99.2K

231.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$194 TMT 653

$45.50 COP 143.4K

326.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.16 TMT 148

$17.02 COP 53.6K

159.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.54 TMT 28.69

$6.32 COP 19.9K

35.13%

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

$22.63 TMT 76.1

$837 COP 2.6M

-97.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K TMT 84.8K

$8,663 COP 27.3M

191.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 TMT 191

$88.8 COP 279.9K

-36.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$115 TMT 387

$54.9 COP 173.2K

109.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$368 TMT 1,235

$134 COP 423.9K

173.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 TMT 636

$108 COP 341.5K

74.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 TMT 3,848

$939 COP 3.0M

21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 TMT 3,307

$646 COP 2.0M

52.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 TMT 7,598

$1,941 COP 6.1M

16.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 TMT 6,397

$1,126 COP 3.5M

69.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,518 TMT 11.8K

$3,638 COP 11.5M

-3.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,915 TMT 9,794

$1,553 COP 4.9M

87.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 TMT 2,510

$628 COP 2.0M

19.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

10.43

-8.92%

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

Last update for Ashgabat: August 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,145 in Ashgabat and $939 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 19% 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: $87.0 in Ashgabat vs $43.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $667 vs $291 per month, with Medellin 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

Ashgabat vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashgabat and Medellin differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($3,455 vs $1,618 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Ashgabat, 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: $1,145 in Ashgabat versus $939 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $22.63 in Ashgabat versus $837 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,618 in Medellin versus $3,455 in Ashgabat, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ashgabat 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.