Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ardabil Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ardabil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $521 in Ardabil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $812 in Ardabil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,103 in Ardabil.

Living in Medellin is roughly 215% more expensive than in Ardabil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Ardabil is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.26 $3.26

146.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$16.29 $16.29

196.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.04 $4.04

133.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.90 $0.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$1.13 $1.13

160.18%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$0.50 $0.50

272.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$0.97 $0.97

50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$0.67 $0.67

114.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$0.48 $0.48

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$2.03 $2.03

-16.26%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$1.19 $1.19

142.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$3.69 $3.69

172.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.21 $3.21

210.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.83 $9.83

44.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.01 $1.01

294.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.54 $1.54

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$0.86 $0.86

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$0.60 $0.60

283.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$0.54 $0.54

270.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$0.51 $0.51

196.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$0.59 $0.59

103.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$0.24 $0.24

433.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 $0.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.36 $2.36

62.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.19 $0.19

557.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$7.73 $7.73

907.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$0.46 $0.46

184.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$0.31 $0.31

600.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$2.28 $2.28

263.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$0.08 $0.08

1600.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$50.0K $50.0K

-45.05%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$42.8K $42.8K

-14.57%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$13.55 $13.55

1145.17%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$1.61 $1.61

742.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$3.68 $3.68

669.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$18.20 $18.20

151.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$13.82 $13.82

24.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$1.99 $1.99

234.17%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$107 $107

652.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$1,585 $1,585

479.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$21.05 $21.05

315.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$27.40 $27.40

116.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$104 $104

33.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$71.5 $71.5

42.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$287 $287

273.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$206 $206

216.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$654 $654

194.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$345 $345

203.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,145 $1,145

260.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$569 $569

198.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.21

-52.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ardabil: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $287 in Ardabil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $16.00 in Ardabil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $110 per month, with Ardabil cheaper across the board.

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 Ardabil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ardabil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 215% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $781 in Ardabil 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $287 in Ardabil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ardabil runs roughly 908% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $803 in Medellin versus $107 in Ardabil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $521 in Ardabil versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ardabil but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ardabil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ardabil is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ardabil are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ardabil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.