Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnaul and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnaul and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $975 in Barnaul versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,439 in Barnaul versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,904 in Barnaul versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Barnaul costs roughly 42% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnaul is 29% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 ₽725

$7.89 COP 24.2K

9.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.52 ₽3,310

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-11.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 ₽509

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-34.55%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₽231

$2.90 COP 8,874

-4.83%

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

$0.78 ₽65.6

$1.81 COP 5,541

-56.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₽26.31

$1.55 COP 4,741

-80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₽103

$3.25 COP 9,962

-62.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₽123

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₽85.0

$1.38 COP 4,230

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₽52.6

$2.45 COP 7,517

-74.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 ₽120

$1.51 COP 4,617

-5.30%

Eggs

$1.62 ₽136

$2.78 COP 8,516

-41.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 ₽1,017

$9.05 COP 27.7K

34.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 ₽419

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-53.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 ₽914

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-25.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₽159

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-52.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₽139

$1.38 COP 4,219

20.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ₽164

$2.30 COP 7,056

-14.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ₽180

$2.02 COP 6,185

6.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 ₽31.16

$2.09 COP 6,390

-82.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₽39.12

$1.63 COP 4,996

-71.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 ₽26.15

$1.08 COP 3,313

-71.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₽34.03

$1.25 COP 3,843

-67.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 ₽287

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.16 ₽767

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₽84.7

$1.60 COP 4,904

-36.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₽119

$3.00 COP 9,189

-52.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₽45.13

$1.18 COP 3,611

-54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 ₽2,200

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-67.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₽134

$1.61 COP 4,920

-0.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 ₽41.40

$2.13 COP 6,533

-77.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ₽513

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-28.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽67.1

$1.35 COP 4,142

-40.74%

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

$24.0K ₽2.0M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-15.36%

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

$34.3K ₽2.9M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-3.79%

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

$112 ₽9,389

$151 COP 463.8K

-25.93%

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

$5.52 ₽462

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-57.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.25 ₽691

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-74.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.35 ₽1,201

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-69.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.05 ₽1,512

$17.26 COP 52.9K

4.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 ₽411

$6.43 COP 19.7K

-23.64%

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

$363 ₽30.4K

$835 COP 2.6M

-56.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.2M

$8,887 COP 27.2M

65.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.48 ₽3,055

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-59.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.59 ₽2,561

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-44.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 ₽11.5K

$137 COP 418.5K

0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ₽8,071

$109 COP 335.1K

-11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₽35.9K

$952 COP 2.9M

-54.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ₽27.4K

$668 COP 2.0M

-50.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 ₽48.0K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-71.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 ₽36.5K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-62.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ₽165.3K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-46.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,548 ₽129.7K

$1,586 COP 4.9M

-2.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 ₽50.4K

$625 COP 1.9M

-3.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.4

10.43

124.35%

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

Last update for Barnaul: August 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Barnaul and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Barnaul vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $297 per month, with Barnaul 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

Barnaul vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnaul wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Barnaul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $429 in Barnaul versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $975 per month in Barnaul versus $1,687 in Medellin – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barnaul runs roughly 204% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $975 in Barnaul versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Barnaul but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Barnaul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Barnaul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $975 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Barnaul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Barnaul and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Barnaul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.