Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and 'afrin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and 'afrin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $235 in 'afrin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $331 in 'afrin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $427 in 'afrin.

Living in Medellin is roughly 327% more expensive than in 'afrin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, 'afrin 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.48 SYP 58.3

129.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.48 SYP 58.6

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.03 SYP 125

33.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.19 SYP 144

83.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.09 SYP 375

45.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.08 SYP 374

87.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.85 SYP 833

30.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.82 SYP 99.8

182.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.97 SYP 118

9.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.02 SYP 124

49.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.76 SYP 92.9

78.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.52 SYP 63.6

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.48 SYP 58.3

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.49 SYP 59.2

83.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.21 SYP 25.11

328.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$102 SYP 12.4K

-18.40%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$50.2 SYP 6,098

846.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$49.93 SYP 6,067

648.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$149 SYP 18.1K

468.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$99.5 SYP 12.1K

623.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for 'afrin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $50.2 in 'afrin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Medellin vs 'afrin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'afrin wins on cost – living expenses run 327% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making 'afrin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $352 in 'afrin 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: $475 in Medellin versus $50.2 in 'afrin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $235 in 'afrin – a 327% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $235 in 'afrin versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in 'afrin but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes 'afrin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but 'afrin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $235 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes 'afrin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find 'afrin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 327% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.