😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $897 in Kutahya.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,555 in Kutahya.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,214 in Kutahya.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 15% more expensive than Kutahya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Kutahya33% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.5K
$3.87₺175
52.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 119.1K
$15.26₺688
114.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.2K
$7.27₺328
-0.96%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,186
$3.24₺146
-47.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,996
$1.04₺46.72
5.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,625
$0.40₺17.82
80.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,067
$3.28₺148
-49.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.3K
$3.45₺156
-10.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,837
$0.95₺42.71
11.58%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,531
$0.69₺31.30
81.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,060
$2.30₺104
-39.57%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,229
$2.29₺103
-1.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.8K
$9.63₺434
-55.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.2K
$5.96₺269
-2.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 32.1K
$19.17₺864
-53.94%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,159
$1.52₺68.3
47.37%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,911
$2.35₺106
-54.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,563
$1.26₺56.8
21.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,987
$1.54₺69.6
-11.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,109
$0.72₺32.53
56.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,067
$0.62₺27.88
80.65%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,080
$1.08₺48.87
-21.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,305
$0.42₺19.10
116.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,477
$2.21₺99.6
5.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.5K
$11.09₺500
0.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,342
$2.09₺94.2
-43.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,617
$3.10₺140
-23.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,859
$0.67₺30.00
17.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 149.6K
$30.83₺1,390
33.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,223
$0.85₺38.18
69.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,952
$0.65₺29.11
193.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 29.2K
$6.25₺282
28.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,410
$1.19₺53.6
-21.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
$43.3K₺2.0M
-58.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
$43.8K₺2.0M
-38.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 305.4K
$86.8₺3,915
-3.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.9K
$10.74₺484
-10.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.9K
$13.79₺622
75.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 94.1K
$43.26₺1,951
-40.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 69.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.2K
$6.41₺289
-38.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$606₺27.3K
-49.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.5M
$13.6K₺613.9K
-56.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 210.6K
$56.8₺2,561
1.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 115.7K
$44.99₺2,028
-29.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 363.3K
$108₺4,873
-7.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 389.7K
$98.2₺4,428
9.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$284₺12.8K
71.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$202₺9,112
82.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$892₺40.2K
-7.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$700₺31.5K
2.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$4,957₺223.5K
-40.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$2,698₺121.7K
-47.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kutahya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$765₺34.5K
-28.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
48.4
-72.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Last update for Kutahya: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $284 in Kutahya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kutahya pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $15.00 in Kutahya. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $237, 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 Kutahya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Kutahya?
Medellin and Kutahya differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $897 including rent). Kutahya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Kutahya earns 40% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Kutahya?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $284 in Kutahya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Kutahya?
Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $606 in Kutahya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $897 in Kutahya versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kutahya but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kutahya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Kutahya?
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.
Is Medellin or Kutahya safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Kutahya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Kutahya?
Expats usually find Kutahya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.