🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $982 in Arzamas versus $1,034 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Arzamas versus $1,577 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,021 in Arzamas versus $2,120 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Arzamas costs roughly 5% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Arzamas27% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.38₽705
$5.92COP 21.5K
58.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.81₽2,840
$32.75COP 119.1K
15.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.79₽435
$7.20COP 26.2K
-19.58%
Cappuccino
$2.30₽173
$1.70COP 6,186
35.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08₽81.0
$1.10COP 3,996
-1.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48₽36.04
$0.72COP 2,625
-33.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.43₽107
$1.67COP 6,067
-14.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49₽187
$3.10COP 11.3K
-19.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10₽82.4
$1.06COP 3,837
3.77%
White Bread(500g)
$0.70₽52.3
$1.25COP 4,531
-44.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.37₽103
$1.39COP 5,060
-1.44%
Eggs
$1.71₽129
$2.26COP 8,229
-24.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.03₽829
$4.33COP 15.8K
154.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.72₽355
$5.84COP 21.2K
-19.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.02₽678
$8.83COP 32.1K
2.15%
Apples(1kg)
$1.82₽136
$2.24COP 8,159
-18.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.86₽140
$1.08COP 3,911
72.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.91₽144
$1.53COP 5,563
24.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.80₽211
$1.37COP 4,987
104.38%
Potato(1kg)
$0.86₽64.5
$1.13COP 4,109
-23.89%
Onion(1kg)
$0.66₽49.67
$1.12COP 4,067
-41.07%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.42₽107
$0.85COP 3,080
67.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66₽49.37
$0.91COP 3,305
-27.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.89₽217
$2.33COP 8,477
24.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.59₽495
$11.13COP 40.5K
-40.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95₽71.5
$1.19COP 4,342
-20.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95₽146
$2.37COP 8,617
-17.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.49₽36.84
$0.79COP 2,859
-37.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.85₽139
$1.44COP 5,223
28.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35₽26.56
$1.91COP 6,952
-81.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.52₽490
$8.02COP 29.2K
-18.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.76₽57.2
$0.94COP 3,410
-19.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K₽2.6M
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
92.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.2K₽2.6M
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
31.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$108₽8,080
$84.0COP 305.4K
28.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.83₽438
$9.60COP 34.9K
-39.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.60₽571
$24.16COP 87.9K
-68.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.09₽2,637
$25.88COP 94.1K
35.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04COP 69.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.19₽390
$3.92COP 14.2K
32.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$322₽24.2K
$306COP 1.1M
5.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,020₽527.4K
$5,919COP 21.5M
18.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.3₽5,209
$57.9COP 210.6K
19.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.57₽3,273
$31.82COP 115.7K
36.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113₽8,488
$99.9COP 363.3K
13.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106₽7,973
$107COP 389.7K
-0.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$451₽33.9K
$487COP 1.8M
-7.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$303₽22.7K
$368COP 1.3M
-17.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$774₽58.1K
$826COP 3.0M
-6.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$506₽38.0K
$716COP 2.6M
-29.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,156₽162.0K
$2,925COP 10.6M
-26.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,336₽100.4K
$1,407COP 5.1M
-5.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arzamas
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$546COP 2.0M
-
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 Arzamas: April 27, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Arzamas and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $38.00 in Arzamas vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $190 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
Arzamas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Arzamas and Medellin?
Arzamas and Medellin differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($982 vs $1,034 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Arzamas compared to Medellin?
You'd need roughly $1,472 in Arzamas and $1,550 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Arzamas and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $451 in Arzamas versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Arzamas or Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $982 per month in Arzamas versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $982 in Arzamas versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Arzamas 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: Arzamas or Medellin?
Expats usually find Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.