Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ankara Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ankara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,380 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,039 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,699 in Ankara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than Ankara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Ankara sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Ankara by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$10.28 ₺499

-21.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$41.24 ₺2,002

17.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$9.50 ₺461

-0.84%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.95 ₺192

-25.57%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.74 ₺84.3

6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.68 ₺33.07

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$5.03 ₺244

-36.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$5.87 ₺285

-2.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.19 ₺57.9

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.97 ₺47.14

147.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.36 ₺115

-27.97%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.64 ₺128

9.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.08 ₺489

-0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.33 ₺259

87.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$20.00 ₺971

-29.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.02 ₺97.9

97.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.15 ₺104

-26.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.39 ₺67.4

54.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.56 ₺75.9

47.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.57 ₺27.47

250.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.52 ₺25.01

190.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.04 ₺50.4

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.69 ₺33.44

85.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.29 ₺111

67.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$12.41 ₺603

12.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.21 ₺107

-22.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.16 ₺153

-13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.69 ₺33.63

81.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$12.55 ₺609

520.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.21 ₺58.7

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.70 ₺34.15

210.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.74 ₺327

23.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.34 ₺65.1

1.49%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$49.7K ₺2.4M

-44.78%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$42.7K ₺2.1M

-14.51%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$91.0 ₺4,416

85.51%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$10.93 ₺531

24.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$17.61 ₺855

60.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$67.5 ₺3,280

-32.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$15.16 ₺736

13.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.20 ₺398

-18.90%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,069 ₺51.9K

-24.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$19.0K ₺920.5K

-51.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$49.96 ₺2,426

74.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$50.3 ₺2,444

17.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$103 ₺5,014

34.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$97.6 ₺4,736

4.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$749 ₺36.4K

43.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$559 ₺27.1K

16.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,203 ₺58.4K

60.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$868 ₺42.1K

20.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,690 ₺82.1K

143.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,163 ₺56.5K

46.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,044 ₺50.7K

-37.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

43.33

-74.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ankara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $749 in Ankara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 59% higher in Ankara, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $252 – making Ankara 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 Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 19% more than Ankara, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,069 in Ankara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $1,069 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ankara, where all-in costs run around $1,380, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Ankara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ankara costs $1,380 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ankara. 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.