Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Izmir versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Izmir versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,605 in Izmir versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Izmir costs roughly 26% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Izmir is 12% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.15 ₺493
$8.04 COP 24.8K
26.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.97 ₺1,795
$48.29 COP 148.6K
-23.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.33 ₺405
$9.42 COP 29.0K
-11.57%
Cappuccino
$3.68 ₺179
$2.94 COP 9,040
25.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 ₺73.4
$1.86 COP 5,735
-18.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₺25.94
$1.46 COP 4,479
-63.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.14 ₺152
$3.21 COP 9,882
-2.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 ₺249
$5.71 COP 17.6K
-10.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 ₺53.3
$1.44 COP 4,428
-23.61%
White Bread (500g)
$0.97 ₺47.06
$2.40 COP 7,389
-59.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.27 ₺110
$1.70 COP 5,228
33.53%
Eggs
$2.55 ₺124
$2.89 COP 8,896
-11.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.76 ₺474
$10.06 COP 30.9K
-2.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.21 ₺253
$9.97 COP 30.7K
-47.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.57 ₺1,096
$14.20 COP 43.7K
58.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 ₺97.7
$3.98 COP 12.3K
-49.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.16 ₺105
$1.58 COP 4,878
36.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.22 ₺59.2
$2.15 COP 6,624
-43.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.46 ₺70.7
$2.30 COP 7,078
-36.52%
Potato (1kg)
$0.53 ₺25.67
$2.00 COP 6,169
-73.50%
Onion (1kg)
$0.36 ₺17.45
$1.51 COP 4,646
-76.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 ₺56.2
$1.20 COP 3,701
-3.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₺38.71
$1.28 COP 3,946
-37.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30 ₺112
$3.84 COP 11.8K
-40.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.77 ₺572
$14.01 COP 43.1K
-15.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 ₺104
$1.71 COP 5,256
25.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 ₺152
$2.74 COP 8,440
14.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 ₺33.26
$1.25 COP 3,834
-45.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.17 ₺2,047
$77.9 COP 239.7K
-45.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 ₺173
$1.31 COP 4,016
172.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ₺50.3
$2.17 COP 6,680
-52.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.12 ₺249
$8.29 COP 25.5K
-38.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 ₺65.3
$1.36 COP 4,172
-0.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.5K ₺2.0M
$27.5K COP 84.5M
51.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.2K ₺2.2M
$36.5K COP 112.4M
26.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.3 ₺4,142
$169 COP 519.2K
-49.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.58 ₺514
$13.57 COP 41.8K
-22.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.00 ₺777
$28.32 COP 87.2K
-43.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.2 ₺3,166
$45.71 COP 140.7K
42.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.50 ₺1,772
$17.22 COP 53.0K
111.96%
Cinema Ticket
$8.03 ₺390
$6.65 COP 20.5K
20.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$741 ₺36.0K
$803 COP 2.5M
-7.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K ₺755.4K
$9,190 COP 28.3M
69.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.11 ₺2,336
$87.4 COP 268.8K
-44.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.69 ₺1,927
$59.4 COP 182.7K
-33.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 ₺4,425
$139 COP 427.5K
-34.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9 ₺4,121
$102 COP 314.0K
-16.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$604 ₺29.3K
$1,071 COP 3.3M
-43.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$429 ₺20.8K
$653 COP 2.0M
-34.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,152 ₺55.9K
$1,925 COP 5.9M
-40.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$803 ₺39.0K
$1,048 COP 3.2M
-23.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,488 ₺72.2K
$4,123 COP 12.7M
-63.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,025 ₺49.8K
$1,697 COP 5.2M
-39.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Izmir
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,147 ₺55.7K
$655 COP 2.0M
75.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
42.33
10.94
286.93%

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

Last update for Izmir: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $604 in Izmir and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Izmir pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Izmir vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $300 per month, with Izmir 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
Izmir vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Izmir or Medellin?
Izmir wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Izmir the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Izmir or in Medellin?
Average pay runs 75% higher in Izmir, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Izmir compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $604 in Izmir versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Izmir compared to Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Izmir versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Izmir compared to Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Izmir runs roughly 85% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Izmir or in Medellin?
At $1,218 in Izmir versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Izmir but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Izmir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Izmir or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Izmir delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,218 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Izmir hard to pass up.
How safe is Izmir compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Izmir 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Izmir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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