🙂A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,055 in Sakarya, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,633 in Sakarya, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,212 in Sakarya, rent included.
🙂Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Sakarya, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Medellin and Sakarya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin23% lower, Sakarya21% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$7.78₺351
-23.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$26.85₺1,212
21.97%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$7.50₺339
-4.00%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$3.31₺149
-48.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$1.40₺63.4
-21.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.50₺22.67
44.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$4.96₺224
-66.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$6.31₺285
-50.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$0.74₺33.22
43.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$0.74₺33.29
68.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$2.70₺122
-48.52%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$1.86₺83.9
21.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$7.67₺346
-43.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$3.62₺163
61.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$14.96₺675
-40.98%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$1.60₺72.3
40.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$2.72₺123
-60.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$0.85₺38.57
80.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.30₺58.6
5.38%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$0.49₺22.12
130.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$0.59₺26.79
89.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.92₺41.37
-7.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.58₺26.11
56.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$2.31₺104
0.87%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$14.19₺641
-21.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$2.66₺120
-55.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$3.29₺149
-27.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.64₺28.74
23.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$30.91₺1,395
33.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$2.18₺98.4
-33.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$7.81₺353
2.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.17₺52.6
-19.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$46.7K₺2.1M
-61.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$49.0K₺2.2M
-45.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$41.61₺1,878
101.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$14.79₺667
-35.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$11.80₺532
104.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$33.36₺1,506
-22.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$12.53₺566
51.96%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$4.86₺219
-19.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$652₺29.4K
-52.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$7,635₺344.6K
-22.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$51.4₺2,319
12.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$75.9₺3,426
-58.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$114₺5,157
-12.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$88.1₺3,978
21.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$516₺23.3K
-5.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$394₺17.8K
-6.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$904₺40.8K
-8.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$715₺32.3K
0.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$876₺39.5K
233.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$598₺27.0K
135.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$881₺39.8K
-38.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
36.83
-63.54%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Last update for Sakarya: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $516 in Sakarya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 62% higher in Sakarya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Sakarya. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $215 in Sakarya – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Sakarya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sakarya cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Sakarya is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,582 in Sakarya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Sakarya?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Sakarya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Sakarya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,055 in Sakarya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Sakarya?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Sakarya at $1,055. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sakarya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Sakarya more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Sakarya?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sakarya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.