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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $597 in Ardabil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $940 in Ardabil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,284 in Ardabil.

Living in Medellin is roughly 68% more expensive than in Ardabil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ardabil 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$5.20 $5.20

13.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$16.80 $16.80

96.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.78 $5.78

28.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 $1.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.44 $1.44

14.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.45 $0.45

144.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.51 $0.51

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.73 $0.73

50.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.57 $0.57

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$3.00 $3.00

-54.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.16 $1.16

87.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$5.75 $5.75

-21.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.26 $3.26

77.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$9.73 $9.73

-7.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.79 $1.79

29.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.58 $1.58

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.91 $1.91

-20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.00 $1.00

36.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.08 $1.08

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.71 $0.71

64.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.23 $1.23

-26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.23 $0.23

291.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.22 $1.22

82.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.21 $0.21

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$10.03 $10.03

314.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.34 $0.34

317.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.29 $0.29

572.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.01 $2.01

292.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.74 $0.74

33.78%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$73.9K $73.9K

-76.19%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$54.5K $54.5K

-50.86%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$15.90 $15.90

422.08%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$2.13 $2.13

355.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$5.78 $5.78

306.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$22.97 $22.97

9.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$12.38 $12.38

54.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$1.46 $1.46

170.55%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$114 $114

175.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$1,957 $1,957

205.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$38.83 $38.83

54.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$22.18 $22.18

43.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$111 $111

-8.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$68.9 $68.9

56.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$343 $343

38.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$197 $197

89.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$693 $693

22.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$320 $320

125.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,267 $1,267

157.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$548 $548

163.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.24

-39.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ardabil: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $343 in Ardabil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Ardabil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $136 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $895 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: $475 in Medellin versus $343 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 315% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $114 in Ardabil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $597 in Ardabil versus $1,003 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 68% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.