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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $1,078 in Bursa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $1,616 in Bursa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $2,155 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 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$9.50 ₺450

-37.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$30.82 ₺1,460

7.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$7.55 ₺358

-5.70%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$2.87 ₺136

-40.42%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.13 ₺53.7

-7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.43 ₺20.33

67.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$2.13 ₺101

-19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.35 ₺111

34.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$0.88 ₺41.86

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$0.81 ₺38.36

61.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$2.02 ₺95.6

-34.16%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$1.88 ₺88.9

21.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$9.16 ₺434

-51.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$5.68 ₺269

4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$18.75 ₺888

-53.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$1.44 ₺68.1

62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$2.20 ₺104

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$1.32 ₺62.6

11.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$1.64 ₺77.5

-15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$0.76 ₺35.97

53.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$0.46 ₺21.94

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$0.85 ₺40.02

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.30 ₺14.30

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$2.11 ₺99.9

10.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$10.46 ₺495

13.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.02 ₺95.6

-43.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$2.01 ₺95.2

20.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

$1.61 ₺76.4

-47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

$49.55 ₺2,346

-17.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$0.90 ₺42.49

56.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$0.61 ₺29.06

213.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$8.95 ₺424

-12.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.16 ₺54.8

-18.97%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$40.8K ₺1.9M

-56.35%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$43.0K ₺2.0M

-36.97%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$56.2 ₺2,661

48.18%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$9.43 ₺446

2.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$11.82 ₺559

104.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$55.0 ₺2,605

-54.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$37.39 ₺1,770

-48.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$7.82 ₺370

-47.95%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$365 ₺17.3K

-16.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$18.1K ₺855.6K

-66.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$56.1 ₺2,655

6.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$44.16 ₺2,091

-26.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$101 ₺4,804

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$79.8 ₺3,777

35.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$446 ₺21.1K

6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$344 ₺16.3K

10.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$815 ₺38.6K

0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$527 ₺25.0K

34.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$1,320 ₺62.5K

141.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$1,204 ₺57.0K

20.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$1,006 ₺47.6K

-38.17%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bursa: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $446 in Bursa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bursa pays 62% 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 $192 vs $224, 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, salaries run 62% lower in Bursa. 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: $476 in Medellin versus $446 in Bursa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% 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 $1,018 in Medellin versus $1,078 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.