Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Urmia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Urmia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $412 in Urmia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $712 in Urmia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,011 in Urmia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 308% more than Urmia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Urmia is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$5.14 $5.14

56.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$24.46 $24.46

95.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$2.96 $2.96

234.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 $1.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.09 $1.09

187.16%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.75 $0.75

154.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.45 $0.45

235.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.63 $0.63

128.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.46 $0.46

441.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.44 $2.44

-27.46%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.23 $1.23

140.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$3.68 $3.68

173.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$2.44 $2.44

314.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$6.44 $6.44

122.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$0.92 $0.92

350.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.48 $1.48

8.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.77 $0.77

192.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.67 $0.67

235.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.51 $0.51

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.54 $0.54

185.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.54 $0.54

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.23 $0.23

469.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.67 $0.67

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 $0.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$1.17 $1.17

233.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.19 $0.19

542.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$7.68 $7.68

947.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.47 $0.47

178.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.31 $0.31

606.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$2.34 $2.34

272.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.10 $0.10

1270.00%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$50.7K $50.7K

-45.13%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$43.0K $43.0K

-16.86%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$13.47 $13.47

1216.26%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$1.38 $1.38

905.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$3.74 $3.74

694.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$9.55 $9.55

369.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$13.34 $13.34

28.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$1.97 $1.97

237.56%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$114 $114

614.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,565 $1,565

487.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$21.00 $21.00

326.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$28.25 $28.25

108.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$93.0 $93.0

48.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$32.13 $32.13

217.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$175 $175

507.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$131 $131

405.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$326 $326

478.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$267 $267

285.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$713 $713

486.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$582 $582

187.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$276 $276

145.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.21

-52.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Urmia: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $175 in Urmia. 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 145% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Urmia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $96.0 – making Urmia 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 Urmia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 308%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $618 in Urmia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Urmia, 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 $24.00 in Urmia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $412 in Urmia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Urmia, where all-in costs run around $412, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Urmia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Urmia – 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 Urmia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.