😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $968 in Manisa.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,524 in Manisa.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,079 in Manisa.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 74% more expensive than in Manisa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Manisa is 29% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02COP 25.3K
$8.45₺412
-5.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87COP 151.0K
$26.64₺1,300
79.69%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89COP 31.2K
$7.67₺374
28.94%
Cappuccino
$3.13COP 9,873
$3.11₺152
0.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91COP 6,019
$1.01₺49.42
89.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51COP 4,763
$0.27₺13.20
459.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12COP 9,853
$2.32₺113
34.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75COP 18.1K
$3.22₺157
78.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,558
$1.02₺49.55
41.18%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,843
$0.78₺38.15
219.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,595
$2.43₺118
-27.16%
Eggs
$2.96COP 9,336
$1.82₺88.8
62.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 31.8K
$7.28₺355
38.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12COP 31.9K
$3.86₺188
162.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30COP 45.1K
$18.97₺925
-24.62%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14COP 13.0K
$1.90₺92.7
117.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61COP 5,073
$1.65₺80.7
-2.42%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,083
$1.24₺60.6
81.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,104
$1.06₺51.5
112.26%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04COP 6,444
$0.45₺21.93
353.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,842
$0.38₺18.74
305.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17COP 3,691
$0.79₺38.46
48.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,121
$0.68₺33.29
92.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.3K
$1.67₺81.7
133.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 44.2K
$10.70₺522
30.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74COP 5,498
$2.22₺108
-21.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87COP 9,053
$2.10₺102
36.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22COP 3,834
$0.64₺30.98
90.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5COP 253.9K
$42.35₺2,066
90.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,129
$2.60₺127
-49.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19COP 6,899
$0.59₺28.81
271.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.71COP 27.5K
$5.15₺251
69.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37COP 4,306
$1.25₺60.9
9.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KCOP 87.8M
$41.6K₺2.0M
-33.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8KCOP 112.8M
$38.9K₺1.9M
-7.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177COP 559.3K
$82.1₺4,004
115.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88COP 43.8K
$15.05₺734
-7.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72COP 93.8K
$8.32₺406
257.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.88COP 141.6K
$67.3₺3,281
-33.28%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12COP 54.0K
$32.21₺1,571
-46.85%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 21.0K
$4.14₺202
60.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$813COP 2.6M
$374₺18.2K
117.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,187COP 29.0M
$7,964₺388.5K
15.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5COP 282.3K
$36.39₺1,775
145.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0COP 186.0K
$27.07₺1,321
117.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$138COP 435.9K
$53.9₺2,629
156.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 322.1K
$62.0₺3,023
64.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,062COP 3.3M
$522₺25.5K
103.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663COP 2.1M
$305₺14.9K
117.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,888COP 6.0M
$1,008₺49.2K
87.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027COP 3.2M
$622₺30.3K
65.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,183COP 13.2M
$1,833₺89.4K
128.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,675COP 5.3M
$1,223₺59.7K
36.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$678COP 2.1M
$1,693₺82.6K
-59.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
43.33
-74.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Last update for Manisa: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $522 in Manisa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Manisa pays 150% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Manisa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $213 per month, with Manisa cheaper across the board.
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 Manisa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manisa cheaper than Medellin?
Manisa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Manisa?
On paper, salaries run 150% lower in Manisa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Manisa?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $522 in Manisa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Manisa?
Dining out is cheaper in Manisa – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Manisa?
All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $968 in Manisa – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Manisa?
At $968 in Manisa versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manisa but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Manisa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Manisa more family-friendly?
For families, Manisa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Manisa?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Manisa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Manisa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.