🙂A single person spends $956 per month in Abakan vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Abakan vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,911 per month in Abakan vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Abakan is about 7% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Abakan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Abakan28% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.45₽742
$6.16COP 20.1K
53.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.70₽1,546
$32.60COP 106.1K
-39.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.25₽491
$7.34COP 23.9K
-14.85%
Cappuccino
$2.78₽218
$1.72COP 5,600
61.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20₽93.8
$1.05COP 3,420
14.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38₽30.10
$0.77COP 2,515
-50.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.18₽92.9
$1.69COP 5,488
-30.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24₽97.5
$3.17COP 10.3K
-60.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.20₽94.0
$1.05COP 3,423
14.29%
White Bread(500g)
$0.70₽54.6
$1.30COP 4,236
-46.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.36₽107
$1.40COP 4,544
-2.86%
Eggs
$1.79₽140
$2.16COP 7,047
-17.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.77₽846
$4.39COP 14.3K
145.33%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.99₽391
$5.88COP 19.1K
-15.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.87₽696
$8.64COP 28.1K
2.66%
Apples(1kg)
$1.80₽142
$2.28COP 7,426
-21.05%
Banana(1kg)
$2.27₽178
$1.11COP 3,604
104.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.98₽155
$1.53COP 4,983
29.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.79₽219
$1.35COP 4,410
106.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.16₽91.2
$1.13COP 3,674
2.65%
Onion(1kg)
$0.67₽52.5
$1.13COP 3,692
-40.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.36₽107
$0.85COP 2,753
60.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72₽56.4
$0.91COP 2,975
-20.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.88₽226
$2.34COP 7,630
23.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.19₽800
$12.37COP 40.3K
-17.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.02₽80.3
$1.20COP 3,909
-15.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94₽152
$2.49COP 8,104
-22.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38₽29.48
$0.84COP 2,728
-54.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$40.57COP 132.1K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.30₽102
$1.42COP 4,623
-8.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35₽27.62
$1.92COP 6,235
-81.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.41₽503
$7.66COP 24.9K
-16.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.73₽57.5
$0.99COP 3,223
-26.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K₽2.7M
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
92.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.0K₽2.8M
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
35.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$109₽8,576
$80.8COP 263.1K
35.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.04₽474
$9.95COP 32.4K
-39.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.73₽606
$24.18COP 78.7K
-68.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.87₽2,815
$25.08COP 81.7K
43.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.15COP 62.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14₽403
$3.98COP 13.0K
29.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$328₽25.7K
$305COP 993.5K
7.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,040₽552.6K
$6,059COP 19.7M
16.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1₽3,936
$58.1COP 189.2K
-13.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.4₽3,958
$32.20COP 104.8K
56.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101₽7,908
$101COP 327.9K
0.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101₽7,942
$108COP 350.8K
-6.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$442₽34.7K
$477COP 1.6M
-7.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$299₽23.4K
$376COP 1.2M
-20.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$764₽60.0K
$845COP 2.7M
-9.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$499₽39.2K
$730COP 2.4M
-31.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,774₽139.3K
$3,215COP 10.5M
-44.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,451₽113.9K
$1,372COP 4.5M
5.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abakan
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$623₽48.9K
$617COP 2.0M
0.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
15.33
13.43
14.15%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Abakan: July 13, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Abakan versus $477 in Medellin. 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 1% higher in Abakan, 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 $20.00 in Abakan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Abakan vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Abakan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Abakan?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,433 per month in Abakan and $1,546 in Medellin. 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 Abakan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Abakan and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $956 in Abakan and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $328 per month in Abakan and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Abakan or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abakan, where all-in costs run around $956, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Abakan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Abakan or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Abakan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Abakan. 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.