🙂A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,061 in Sakarya, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,629 in Sakarya, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,197 in Sakarya, rent included.
🙂Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Sakarya, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Medellin and Sakarya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin25% lower, Sakarya20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.6K
$7.74₺368
-23.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 103.8K
$26.89₺1,278
22.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.4K
$7.79₺370
-4.62%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,207
$3.18₺151
-48.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,468
$1.34₺63.7
-17.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,458
$0.49₺23.52
59.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,412
$4.68₺223
-63.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.0K
$6.25₺297
-49.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,474
$0.73₺34.67
50.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 3,962
$0.79₺37.66
59.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,349
$2.81₺134
-50.89%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,858
$1.95₺92.7
11.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.1K
$7.49₺356
-40.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.2K
$3.58₺170
61.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.2K
$15.30₺727
-41.37%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,308
$1.63₺77.5
42.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,352
$2.76₺131
-61.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,774
$0.88₺41.76
72.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,270
$1.29₺61.4
5.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,552
$0.49₺23.43
130.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,689
$0.59₺28.18
98.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,838
$0.91₺43.19
-1.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,823
$0.55₺26.09
63.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,034
$2.27₺108
-1.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.2K
$13.21₺628
-8.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,743
$2.72₺129
-56.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,815
$3.30₺157
-24.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,687
$0.62₺29.54
37.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 131.0K
$30.59₺1,454
36.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,459
$2.11₺101
-32.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,141
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 24.8K
$7.76₺369
1.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,118
$1.16₺55.3
-14.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
$47.5K₺2.3M
-62.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
$48.5K₺2.3M
-44.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 261.4K
$41.16₺1,956
101.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.5K
$14.78₺703
-34.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 74.1K
$11.71₺557
100.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 79.5K
$33.33₺1,584
-24.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.1K
$12.58₺598
51.83%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.4K
$4.72₺224
-16.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 994.2K
$661₺31.4K
-52.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 18.8M
$7,821₺371.7K
-23.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 188.9K
$52.0₺2,471
15.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 100.2K
$73.6₺3,497
-56.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 320.1K
$115₺5,443
-11.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 338.3K
$91.1₺4,331
17.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$511₺24.3K
-6.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$390₺18.6K
-4.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$902₺42.8K
-5.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$723₺34.4K
-0.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.3M
$1,274₺60.5K
156.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.5M
$710₺33.8K
102.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Sakarya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
$922₺43.8K
-32.28%
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Sakarya: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $511 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 48% 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 – $193 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 6%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,591 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 in 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 and in Sakarya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $1,061 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 living in Medellin or in Sakarya?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Sakarya at $1,061. 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.