Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Turgi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Turgi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $3,551 in Turgi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $5,359 in Turgi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $7,168 in Turgi, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Turgi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Turgi is 165% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$37.38 CHF 29.57

-84.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$139 CHF 110

-76.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$15.70 CHF 12.42

-54.14%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$6.51 CHF 5.15

-73.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,966

$5.34 CHF 4.22

-79.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$4.29 CHF 3.40

-83.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$8.50 CHF 6.73

-80.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$7.21 CHF 5.70

-57.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.32 CHF 1.83

-54.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.44 CHF 2.72

-63.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-39.30%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$5.44 CHF 4.30

-58.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$31.04 CHF 24.56

-86.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$35.48 CHF 28.07

-83.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$50.6 CHF 40.06

-82.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.37 CHF 1.87

-5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-53.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.88 CHF 2.28

-46.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-39.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.46 CHF 1.95

-54.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.29 CHF 1.82

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.65 CHF 2.10

-67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.28 CHF 1.02

-28.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.66 CHF 3.69

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.22 CHF 5.71

54.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-47.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.28 CHF 1.80

3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.88 CHF 3.07

-79.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$99.5 CHF 78.7

-58.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$8.14 CHF 6.44

-82.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$4.52 CHF 3.58

-57.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$88.0 CHF 69.6

-90.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.13 CHF 1.68

-55.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

-55.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$43.0K CHF 34.0K

-37.72%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$252 CHF 199

-66.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$73.3 CHF 58.0

-86.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$55.4 CHF 43.79

-56.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$86.7 CHF 68.6

-70.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$22.48 CHF 17.78

-82.56%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$2,914 CHF 2,305

-89.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$42.9K CHF 33.9K

-86.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$138 CHF 109

-58.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$77.2 CHF 61.0

-58.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$133 CHF 105

-24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$162 CHF 128

-33.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,702 CHF 1,346

-71.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,446 CHF 1,143

-74.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,787 CHF 2,204

-70.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,448 CHF 1,936

-70.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$14.8K CHF 11.7K

-80.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$10.9K CHF 8,597

-87.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.5

437.20%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Turgi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $1,702 in Turgi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $139 in Turgi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $628 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Turgi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Turgi is pricier by about 244%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $5,327 in Turgi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $139 in Turgi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $3,551 in Turgi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Turgi at $3,551. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Turgi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Turgi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.