Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bursa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bursa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,076 in Bursa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,618 in Bursa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,160 in Bursa.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 6% less than in Bursa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bursa 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$9.65 ₺445

-38.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$30.92 ₺1,425

7.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$7.74 ₺357

-6.59%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.85 ₺131

-42.81%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$1.12 ₺51.8

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.42 ₺19.47

73.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.11 ₺97.2

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$2.23 ₺103

44.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$0.87 ₺40.32

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.76 ₺34.86

69.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.95 ₺89.7

-32.31%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$1.93 ₺89.2

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$9.18 ₺423

-52.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$5.59 ₺258

5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$18.48 ₺852

-53.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$1.49 ₺68.7

51.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$2.28 ₺105

-53.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$1.32 ₺61.0

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$1.62 ₺74.9

-12.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$0.76 ₺34.94

53.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$0.47 ₺21.44

148.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.82 ₺37.67

8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.30 ₺13.89

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$2.15 ₺99.1

4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$10.94 ₺504

0.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.94 ₺89.4

-41.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$2.05 ₺94.6

16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$1.69 ₺77.9

-50.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$49.28 ₺2,272

-14.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.89 ₺41.01

58.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.65 ₺29.90

192.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$8.79 ₺405

-11.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.15 ₺52.8

-12.17%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$41.6K ₺1.9M

-57.78%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$43.5K ₺2.0M

-39.15%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$56.4 ₺2,601

48.32%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$9.61 ₺443

-1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$11.71 ₺540

105.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$56.7 ₺2,613

-55.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$37.40 ₺1,724

-48.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$7.57 ₺349

-45.84%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$366 ₺16.9K

-14.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$18.1K ₺832.8K

-66.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$56.2 ₺2,592

3.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$43.80 ₺2,019

-25.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$102 ₺4,717

-2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$79.0 ₺3,644

37.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$441 ₺20.3K

9.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$340 ₺15.7K

11.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$817 ₺37.7K

2.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$517 ₺23.8K

39.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$1,331 ₺61.4K

113.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$1,191 ₺54.9K

2.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,009 ₺46.5K

-46.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

42.62

-68.49%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bursa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $441 in Bursa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bursa pays 86% 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 $31.00 in Bursa. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $223, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bursa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bursa earns 86% 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 $441 in Bursa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Bursa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $31.00 in Bursa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,076 in Bursa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bursa. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bursa 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 6% less than in Bursa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.