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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $3,146 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $4,862 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $6,579 in Ashgabat.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 68% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Ashgabat is 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$35.27 TMT 118

-83.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$86.5 TMT 291

-61.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$14.14 TMT 47.53

-48.87%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$7.18 TMT 24.11

-77.30%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$3.22 TMT 10.82

-66.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.89 TMT 2.99

-17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.26 TMT 17.68

-66.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$14.30 TMT 48.06

-77.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$4.81 TMT 16.17

-78.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.41 TMT 8.11

-46.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$7.28 TMT 24.45

-81.87%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$6.01 TMT 20.19

-62.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$39.33 TMT 132

-88.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$18.50 TMT 62.2

-68.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$18.86 TMT 63.4

-54.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$5.49 TMT 18.46

-59.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$9.09 TMT 30.54

-88.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$7.79 TMT 26.18

-80.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$3.63 TMT 12.19

-60.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.33 TMT 7.83

-49.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.82 TMT 6.13

-35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.05 TMT 6.90

-56.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.12 TMT 3.76

-19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$25.97 TMT 87.3

-91.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$41.39 TMT 139

-73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$4.65 TMT 15.62

-75.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.89 TMT 9.71

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.14 TMT 0.45

500.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$8.66 TMT 29.09

384.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.82 TMT 9.49

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.81 TMT 2.73

134.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.67 TMT 29.14

-10.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.41 TMT 1.38

146.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$43.3K TMT 145.5K

-59.41%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$56.3K TMT 189.3K

-52.97%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$569 TMT 1,913

-85.31%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$58.1 TMT 195

-83.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$101 TMT 340

-76.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$198 TMT 667

-87.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$44.60 TMT 150

-57.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$14.56 TMT 48.91

-71.84%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$22.76 TMT 76.5

1270.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$25.7K TMT 86.2K

-76.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$66.4 TMT 223

-12.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$121 TMT 407

-73.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$305 TMT 1,025

-67.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$186 TMT 626

-41.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,143 TMT 3,839

-57.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$747 TMT 2,509

-49.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,792 TMT 6,021

-53.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,583 TMT 5,317

-54.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,528 TMT 11.9K

-19.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,850 TMT 9,575

-57.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$761 TMT 2,557

-28.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.5

41.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $1,143 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 41% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $87.0 in Ashgabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $668 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 210% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $3,146 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ashgabat earns 41% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $1,143 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $22.76 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 252% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $3,146 in Ashgabat, a $1,500 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 210% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.