Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalkan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalkan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,125 in Kalkan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,759 in Kalkan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,393 in Kalkan, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Kalkan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Kalkan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kalkan 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.1K

$8.76 ₺393

-32.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.3K

$43.68 ₺1,963

-24.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$9.65 ₺434

-24.87%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,118

$3.40 ₺153

-49.71%

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

$1.09 COP 3,903

$1.06 ₺47.53

2.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,734

$0.38 ₺17.29

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,234

$3.84 ₺173

-54.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.79 ₺171

-16.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,780

$1.00 ₺44.87

6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,643

$0.91 ₺40.73

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,911

$2.26 ₺102

-38.94%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,883

$2.30 ₺103

-3.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.1K

$11.12 ₺500

-59.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$6.05 ₺272

-4.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.0K

$18.23 ₺819

-50.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,157

$1.18 ₺52.9

94.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,779

$2.15 ₺96.8

-50.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,394

$1.09 ₺49.17

38.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,854

$1.29 ₺58.2

5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,133

$0.68 ₺30.75

70.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,161

$0.56 ₺25.33

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,951

$0.88 ₺39.56

-5.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,034

$0.37 ₺16.42

129.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,397

$2.06 ₺92.8

14.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.6K

$14.39 ₺647

-22.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,120

$2.12 ₺95.1

-45.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,826

$2.80 ₺126

-11.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,818

$0.67 ₺30.20

17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.3K

$29.98 ₺1,347

39.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,124

$0.73 ₺32.79

97.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,772

$0.67 ₺30.05

183.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.5K

$5.79 ₺260

32.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,669

$1.20 ₺53.9

-14.17%

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

$17.7K COP 63.1M

$66.0K ₺3.0M

-73.23%

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

$27.0K COP 96.4M

$55.0K ₺2.5M

-50.85%

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

$81.4 COP 290.5K

$72.9 ₺3,276

11.69%

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

$9.42 COP 33.6K

$10.12 ₺455

-6.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 84.8K

$13.61 ₺612

74.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.3K

$43.77 ₺1,967

-40.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$5.84 ₺262

-30.65%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$654 ₺29.4K

-52.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.6M

$11.0K ₺492.7K

-44.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.0K

$57.6 ₺2,587

2.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.1K

$35.44 ₺1,593

-7.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 358.5K

$103 ₺4,618

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 379.2K

$78.9 ₺3,543

34.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.7M

$518 ₺23.3K

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$393 ₺17.7K

-5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$878 ₺39.4K

-4.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$721 ₺32.4K

-0.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.5M

$1,440 ₺64.7K

104.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$863 ₺38.8K

61.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

30.12

-55.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kalkan: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $518 in Kalkan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $44 in Kalkan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $241 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kalkan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,030 in Medellin, $1,125 in Kalkan – roughly 9% apart. Kalkan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,687 in Kalkan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,030 in Medellin and $1,125 in Kalkan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Kalkan at $1,125. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalkan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,030 in Medellin to $1,125 in Kalkan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kalkan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.