Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balikesir Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balikesir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $888 in Balikesir, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,482 in Balikesir, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,077 in Balikesir, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Balikesir, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Balikesir are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Balikesir 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.75 ₺358

-23.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.23 ₺1,214

27.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.68 ₺355

-5.86%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.44 ₺113

-33.20%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.00 ₺46.30

9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.35 ₺16.29

108.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.58 ₺119

-32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.58 ₺166

-9.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.01 ₺46.87

3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.53 ₺24.31

143.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.26 ₺58.1

4.76%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.92 ₺88.7

18.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.75 ₺358

-43.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.05 ₺234

16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$17.82 ₺824

-51.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.55 ₺71.8

45.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.37 ₺110

-54.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.47 ₺68.0

3.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.53 ₺70.8

-7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.67 ₺31.11

74.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.61 ₺28.11

91.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.86 ₺39.96

3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.53 ₺24.66

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.24 ₺103

0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.86 ₺456

11.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.32 ₺107

-50.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.33 ₺154

-28.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.60 ₺27.91

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$29.39 ₺1,360

42.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.05 ₺94.9

-31.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.66 ₺30.55

187.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$9.05 ₺419

-14.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.15 ₺53.2

-12.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$40.9K ₺1.9M

-57.02%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$43.7K ₺2.0M

-39.33%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$65.8 ₺3,043

27.21%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.74 ₺543

-19.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.73 ₺542

105.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$57.0 ₺2,636

-55.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$12.44 ₺576

53.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.40 ₺250

-24.07%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$847 ₺39.2K

-63.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,276 ₺244.1K

13.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$31.35 ₺1,450

85.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.84 ₺1,843

-18.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$87.3 ₺4,039

14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$62.4 ₺2,887

73.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$424 ₺19.6K

13.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$256 ₺11.8K

48.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$896 ₺41.5K

-6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$590 ₺27.3K

22.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,275 ₺59.0K

122.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$822 ₺38.0K

48.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,054 ₺48.8K

-48.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

29.75

-54.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $424 in Balikesir. 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 95% higher in Balikesir, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Balikesir. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $217 in Balikesir – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 15% more than Balikesir, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,331 in Balikesir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $888 in Balikesir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Balikesir. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikesir, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Balikesir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Balikesir costs $888 versus $1,017 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 Balikesir. 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.