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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $240 in 'afrin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $326 in 'afrin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $412 in 'afrin.

Living in Medellin is roughly 330% more expensive than 'afrin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, 'afrin 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.48 SYP 54.3

120.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.52 SYP 59.4

140.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.99 SYP 112

40.40%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.17 SYP 132

93.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$2.95 SYP 335

46.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.05 SYP 346

91.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.99 SYP 793

26.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.76 SYP 86.5

194.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.98 SYP 111

10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.02 SYP 116

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.77 SYP 86.9

77.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.52 SYP 59.6

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.48 SYP 54.9

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.49 SYP 55.1

73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.19 SYP 21.34

378.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$101 SYP 11.5K

-17.03%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$49.60 SYP 5,629

881.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$49.78 SYP 5,649

639.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$150 SYP 17.0K

449.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$100 SYP 11.4K

612.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for 'afrin: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $49.60 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 330% 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 $1,550 in Medellin and $360 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: $487 in Medellin versus $49.60 in 'afrin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 116% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $240 in 'afrin – a 330% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $240 in 'afrin versus $1,034 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 $240 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 330% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.