Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ashgabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ashgabat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,618 in Medellin versus $3,455 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,460 in Medellin versus $5,062 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,302 in Medellin versus $6,669 in Ashgabat.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 53% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Ashgabat 155% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.2K

$30.94 TMT 104

-75.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 136.5K

$86.9 TMT 292

-50.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.0K

$12.89 TMT 43.30

-26.30%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,857

$6.89 TMT 23.14

-59.22%

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

$1.84 COP 5,786

$1.53 TMT 5.13

20.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,751

$0.83 TMT 2.79

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,723

$5.63 TMT 18.90

-45.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.3K

$13.41 TMT 45.05

-59.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,238

$4.48 TMT 15.05

-70.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,268

$2.10 TMT 7.05

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,632

$5.72 TMT 19.21

-74.30%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,473

$5.92 TMT 19.88

-54.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.0K

$37.65 TMT 127

-76.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 33.5K

$19.60 TMT 65.9

-45.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 45.6K

$23.29 TMT 78.3

-37.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$5.09 TMT 17.12

-26.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,372

$8.65 TMT 29.06

-83.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,005

$7.54 TMT 25.34

-70.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,243

$3.72 TMT 12.48

-46.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,478

$2.34 TMT 7.85

-12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,044

$1.46 TMT 4.91

9.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,284

$2.69 TMT 9.04

-61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,000

$1.12 TMT 3.78

13.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$26.04 TMT 87.5

-85.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.3K

$41.33 TMT 139

-68.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,970

$5.05 TMT 16.98

-68.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,518

$2.78 TMT 9.35

8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,682

$0.15 TMT 0.49

680.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 239.5K

$9.86 TMT 33.12

670.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,738

$2.81 TMT 9.44

-46.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.90 TMT 3.02

132.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.5K

$8.71 TMT 29.25

-7.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 3,980

$0.42 TMT 1.40

200.00%

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

$26.9K COP 84.8M

$43.1K TMT 144.9K

-37.61%

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

$34.9K COP 110.0M

$56.5K TMT 190.0K

-38.30%

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

$148 COP 467.6K

$580 TMT 1,950

-74.44%

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

$13.03 COP 41.1K

$56.6 TMT 190

-76.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 99.2K

$104 TMT 351

-69.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 143.4K

$194 TMT 653

-76.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 53.6K

$44.16 TMT 148

-61.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 19.9K

$8.54 TMT 28.69

-26.00%

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

$837 COP 2.6M

$22.63 TMT 76.1

3597.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.3M

$25.2K TMT 84.8K

-65.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.9K

$56.8 TMT 191

56.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 173.2K

$115 TMT 387

-52.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 423.9K

$368 TMT 1,235

-63.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 341.5K

$189 TMT 636

-42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$1,145 TMT 3,848

-17.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$984 TMT 3,307

-34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.1M

$2,261 TMT 7,598

-14.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.5M

$1,904 TMT 6,397

-40.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.5M

$3,518 TMT 11.8K

3.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 4.9M

$2,915 TMT 9,794

-46.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

$747 TMT 2,510

-15.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

9.5

9.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: August 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $939 in Medellin and $1,145 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Medellin vs $87.0 in Ashgabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $667 per month, with Medellin 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 Ashgabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ashgabat differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($1,618 vs $3,455 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Ashgabat. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $939 in Medellin versus $1,145 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $837 in Medellin versus $22.63 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,618 in Medellin versus $3,455 in Ashgabat, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ashgabat 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.