Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Turrialba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Turrialba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,726 in Turrialba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,752 in Turrialba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,778 in Turrialba, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Turrialba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Turrialba sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Turrialba by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$12.29 ₡5,488

-34.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$58.4 ₡26.1K

-17.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$11.56 ₡5,163

-18.51%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$4.29 ₡1,917

-31.47%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$2.59 ₡1,156

-28.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$1.94 ₡867

-24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$3.24 ₡1,449

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$4.48 ₡2,001

27.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$2.42 ₡1,080

-40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$3.19 ₡1,424

-24.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

$2.55 ₡1,138

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$3.52 ₡1,573

-17.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$10.88 ₡4,857

-7.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$10.52 ₡4,697

-5.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$14.32 ₡6,394

-0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$5.25 ₡2,344

-24.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

$1.67 ₡744

-5.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

$4.76 ₡2,126

-54.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

$4.02 ₡1,793

-42.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

$3.78 ₡1,686

-47.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

$3.68 ₡1,643

-58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

$1.09 ₡488

10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

$3.19 ₡1,424

-59.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$5.84 ₡2,605

-34.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$20.45 ₡9,129

-31.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

$2.96 ₡1,321

-42.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$3.64 ₡1,623

-24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

$1.35 ₡604

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

$2.49 ₡1,112

-47.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

$1.65 ₡737

31.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

$8.69 ₡3,880

-4.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

$1.49 ₡665

-8.72%

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

$22.1K ₡9.9M

24.37%

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

$34.4K ₡15.3M

6.31%

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$96.8 ₡43.2K

74.30%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$37.37 ₡16.7K

-63.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$61.6 ₡27.5K

-54.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

$73.6 ₡32.9K

-37.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$8.30 ₡3,705

-19.88%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,003 ₡447.9K

-19.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$17.4K ₡7.8M

-47.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

$72.0 ₡32.2K

21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

$57.4 ₡25.6K

3.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$128 ₡57.4K

8.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

$132 ₡59.1K

-22.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$802 ₡357.9K

33.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$623 ₡278.3K

4.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$1,876 ₡837.5K

2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$1,287 ₡574.7K

-18.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.78

24.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Turrialba: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $802 in Turrialba. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $58.0 in Turrialba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $408 – 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 Turrialba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Turrialba is pricier by about 5%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,589 in Turrialba. 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $58.0 in Turrialba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Turrialba, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Turrialba at $1,726. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Turrialba 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, Turrialba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.