😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $972 in Manisa.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,449 in Manisa.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,926 in Manisa.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 3% more expensive than in Manisa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin25% lower, Manisa27% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.6K
$7.75₺368
-23.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 103.8K
$19.30₺917
70.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.4K
$7.71₺366
-3.63%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,207
$2.96₺141
-44.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,468
$1.76₺83.7
-37.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,458
$0.53₺25.13
47.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,412
$3.08₺146
-44.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.0K
$3.83₺182
-16.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,474
$0.96₺45.61
14.58%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 3,962
$0.61₺29.14
106.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,349
$1.77₺84.1
-22.03%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,858
$1.92₺91.2
13.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.1K
$8.74₺415
-48.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.2K
$6.22₺296
-6.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.2K
$20.23₺962
-55.66%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,308
$1.25₺59.6
85.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,352
$1.93₺91.7
-45.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,774
$0.95₺45.18
60.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,270
$1.13₺53.6
20.35%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,552
$0.75₺35.61
50.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,689
$0.57₺26.91
105.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,838
$0.74₺35.05
21.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,823
$0.22₺10.47
309.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,034
$2.19₺104
1.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.2K
$11.06₺526
9.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,743
$2.05₺97.4
-41.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,815
$2.67₺127
-7.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,687
$0.63₺29.86
34.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 131.0K
$31.01₺1,474
34.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,459
$1.10₺52.2
29.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,141
$0.65₺30.89
200.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 24.8K
$7.74₺368
1.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,118
$1.23₺58.5
-19.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
$49.1K₺2.3M
-64.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
$45.3K₺2.2M
-40.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 261.4K
$48.14₺2,288
72.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.5K
$5.64₺268
71.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 74.1K
$9.24₺439
154.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 79.5K
$43.64₺2,074
-42.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.4K
$4.54₺216
-13.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 994.2K
$616₺29.3K
-48.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 18.8M
$9,021₺428.8K
-33.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 188.9K
$38.37₺1,824
56.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 100.2K
$39.46₺1,876
-19.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 320.1K
$84.5₺4,018
20.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 338.3K
$43.24₺2,055
148.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$472₺22.5K
0.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$347₺16.5K
7.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$690₺32.8K
23.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$573₺27.2K
25.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.3M
$1,886₺89.6K
73.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.5M
$1,274₺60.5K
13.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Manisa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
$1,118₺53.1K
-44.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
43.79
-69.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Last update for Manisa: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $472 in Manisa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Manisa pays 79% 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 $19.00 in Manisa. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $222, 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 Manisa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manisa cheaper than Medellin?
Manisa is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Manisa?
On paper, salaries run 79% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $472 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 $19.00 versus $33.00 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $972 in Manisa – a 3% 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 $972 in Manisa versus $1,003 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 3% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.