😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,031 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,599 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Arkhangelsk versus $2,167 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Arkhangelsk is roughly 5% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Arkhangelsk19% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.54₽750
$6.16COP 20.1K
54.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.15₽2,840
$32.60COP 106.1K
10.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.52₽512
$7.34COP 23.9K
-11.17%
Cappuccino
$2.14₽168
$1.72COP 5,599
24.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17₽92.1
$1.05COP 3,420
11.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51₽40.38
$0.77COP 2,515
-33.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.11₽166
$1.69COP 5,487
24.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24₽97.2
$3.17COP 10.3K
-60.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.12₽88.0
$1.05COP 3,423
6.67%
White Bread(500g)
$0.77₽60.9
$1.30COP 4,236
-40.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.97₽155
$1.40COP 4,544
40.71%
Eggs
$1.65₽130
$2.16COP 7,046
-23.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.23₽882
$4.39COP 14.3K
155.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.85₽460
$5.88COP 19.1K
-0.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.33₽812
$8.64COP 28.1K
19.56%
Apples(1kg)
$1.63₽128
$2.28COP 7,425
-28.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.80₽141
$1.11COP 3,603
62.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.31₽181
$1.53COP 4,982
50.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.01₽158
$1.35COP 4,410
48.89%
Potato(1kg)
$0.72₽56.7
$1.13COP 3,674
-36.28%
Onion(1kg)
$0.60₽47.51
$1.13COP 3,692
-46.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99₽77.6
$0.85COP 2,753
16.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59₽46.17
$0.91COP 2,975
-35.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.20₽251
$2.34COP 7,629
36.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.30₽731
$12.37COP 40.3K
-24.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13₽88.6
$1.20COP 3,909
-5.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68₽132
$2.49COP 8,104
-32.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54₽42.06
$0.84COP 2,727
-35.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$40.57COP 132.1K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.24₽176
$1.42COP 4,623
57.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35₽106
$1.92COP 6,235
-29.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.18₽486
$7.66COP 24.9K
-19.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.73₽57.0
$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
92.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3K₽2.8M
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
32.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151₽11.8K
$80.8COP 263.1K
86.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.25₽569
$9.95COP 32.4K
-27.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.58₽753
$24.18COP 78.7K
-60.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.05₽2,518
$25.08COP 81.6K
27.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.07₽1,970
$19.15COP 62.3K
30.91%
Cinema Ticket
$4.50₽353
$3.98COP 13.0K
13.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$321₽25.2K
$305COP 993.4K
5.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,874₽540.0K
$6,059COP 19.7M
13.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$126₽9,884
$58.1COP 189.2K
116.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.17₽2,999
$32.20COP 104.8K
18.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$62.3₽4,895
$101COP 327.9K
-38.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.2₽5,983
$108COP 350.8K
-29.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$444₽34.9K
$477COP 1.6M
-6.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$381₽29.9K
$376COP 1.2M
1.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$646₽50.8K
$845COP 2.7M
-23.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$564₽44.3K
$730COP 2.4M
-22.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,697₽133.3K
$3,215COP 10.5M
-47.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,262₽99.2K
$1,372COP 4.5M
-8.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arkhangelsk
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$552₽43.4K
$617COP 2.0M
-10.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
15.75
13.43
17.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Arkhangelsk: July 11, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Arkhangelsk and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $36.00 in Arkhangelsk vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
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
Arkhangelsk vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Arkhangelsk and in Medellin?
Arkhangelsk and Medellin differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,087 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Arkhangelsk and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Arkhangelsk versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Arkhangelsk and Medellin?
Childcare runs $321 in Arkhangelsk versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $36.00 in Arkhangelsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,087 in Arkhangelsk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Arkhangelsk. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Arkhangelsk and Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Arkhangelsk or Medellin?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Arkhangelsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Arkhangelsk vs other spots: cost of living compared