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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $238 in 'afrin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $329 in 'afrin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $421 in 'afrin.

Living in Medellin is roughly 328% more expensive than 'afrin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, 'afrin 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

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)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.48 SYP 53.3

118.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.48 SYP 53.0

168.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.02 SYP 113

29.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.22 SYP 134

86.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$2.96 SYP 327

46.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.92 SYP 323

101.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.02 SYP 776

22.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.76 SYP 84.0

196.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.97 SYP 107

10.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.01 SYP 112

50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.79 SYP 86.8

79.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.48 SYP 52.6

143.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.48 SYP 53.3

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.52 SYP 57.7

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.17 SYP 19.12

429.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

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)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$101 SYP 11.1K

-16.96%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$49.69 SYP 5,491

870.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$49.78 SYP 5,501

662.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$151 SYP 16.7K

454.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$99.4 SYP 11.0K

627.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for 'afrin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $49.69 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 328% 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 $1,525 in Medellin and $356 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: $482 in Medellin versus $49.69 in 'afrin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 117% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $238 in 'afrin – a 328% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $238 in 'afrin versus $1,017 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 $238 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 328% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.