Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Akbuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Akbuk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,111 in Akbuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,726 in Akbuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,341 in Akbuk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Akbuk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Akbuk is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$9.40 ₺458

-14.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$31.00 ₺1,512

54.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$9.82 ₺479

0.71%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.37 ₺165

-7.12%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$2.14 ₺104

-10.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.40 ₺19.60

277.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$3.81 ₺186

-18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$5.90 ₺287

-2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.05 ₺51.1

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.99 ₺48.07

151.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.36 ₺115

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.93 ₺93.9

53.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$12.27 ₺598

-17.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.85 ₺285

72.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$26.23 ₺1,279

-45.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.47 ₺71.5

181.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.32 ₺113

-30.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.30 ₺63.4

73.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.36 ₺66.5

65.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.71 ₺34.53

187.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.58 ₺28.48

165.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.90 ₺92.8

-38.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.63 ₺30.64

107.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.69 ₺131

44.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.51 ₺659

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.42 ₺118

-28.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.04 ₺148

-5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.71 ₺34.53

71.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$33.89 ₺1,653

137.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.33 ₺64.7

-1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.00 ₺48.97

119.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$5.30 ₺258

64.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.39 ₺68.0

-1.44%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$48.5K ₺2.4M

-42.57%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$45.9K ₺2.2M

-22.05%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$65.5 ₺3,193

170.73%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$9.55 ₺465

45.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$20.72 ₺1,010

43.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$53.1 ₺2,587

-15.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$8.77 ₺428

-24.17%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$621 ₺30.3K

31.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$11.9K ₺581.1K

-22.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$46.28 ₺2,257

93.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$59.5 ₺2,899

-0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$87.3 ₺4,254

58.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$78.5 ₺3,829

30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$422 ₺20.6K

151.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$307 ₺15.0K

115.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$785 ₺38.3K

140.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$577 ₺28.1K

77.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,283 ₺62.6K

225.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,027 ₺50.1K

63.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

39.17

-72.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Akbuk: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $422 in Akbuk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Akbuk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $279 – making Akbuk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Akbuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,667 in Akbuk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Akbuk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Akbuk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Akbuk, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Akbuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Akbuk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Akbuk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.