Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Usak Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Usak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,075 in Usak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,725 in Usak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,375 in Usak, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Usak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Usak is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$10.28 ₺501

-21.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$47.72 ₺2,327

0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$9.42 ₺459

4.99%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$4.07 ₺199

-23.10%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.90 ₺92.8

0.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.41 ₺19.83

268.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$3.81 ₺186

-18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$5.03 ₺245

14.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.05 ₺51.0

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.00 ₺48.64

149.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.06 ₺100

-14.08%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.51 ₺122

17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.69 ₺473

3.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.27 ₺257

92.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$21.35 ₺1,041

-33.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.74 ₺84.8

137.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.89 ₺92.3

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.05 ₺51.1

114.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.40 ₺68.3

60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.68 ₺33.31

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.64 ₺31.11

140.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.04 ₺50.6

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.71 ₺34.52

84.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.30 ₺112

69.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$10.43 ₺508

34.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.17 ₺106

-19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.02 ₺147

-4.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.69 ₺33.61

76.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$33.81 ₺1,649

138.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.91 ₺44.16

43.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.75 ₺36.76

192.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$8.50 ₺415

2.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.33 ₺65.1

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$42.8K ₺2.1M

-34.89%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$39.8K ₺1.9M

-10.10%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$77.7 ₺3,789

128.16%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$11.60 ₺566

19.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$15.94 ₺777

86.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$52.9 ₺2,577

-15.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$5.56 ₺271

19.60%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$705 ₺34.4K

15.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$13.8K ₺673.9K

-33.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$51.0 ₺2,485

75.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$32.63 ₺1,591

80.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$97.7 ₺4,764

41.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$85.0 ₺4,142

20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$410 ₺20.0K

159.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$312 ₺15.2K

112.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$761 ₺37.1K

147.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$571 ₺27.8K

79.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,315 ₺64.1K

218.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,030 ₺50.2K

62.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$902 ₺44.0K

-24.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-72.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Usak: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $410 in Usak. 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 33% higher in Usak, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $48.00 in Usak. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $243 in Usak – so Usak 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 Usak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, 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 $1,613 in Usak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Usak, 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 $48.00 in Usak. 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 $1,075 in Usak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Usak, where all-in costs run around $1,075, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Usak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Usak – 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 Usak. 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.