🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Korolyov versus $1,716 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,831 in Korolyov versus $2,527 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,403 in Korolyov versus $3,338 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Korolyov costs roughly 27% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Korolyov is 8% below, Medellin is 25% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.47₽984
$8.03COP 25.1K
42.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.0₽4,974
$48.26COP 150.8K
20.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.10₽609
$9.77COP 30.5K
-27.33%
Cappuccino
$2.37₽203
$2.91COP 9,095
-18.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67₽57.5
$1.94COP 6,074
-65.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42₽36.46
$1.52COP 4,754
-72.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.80₽68.4
$3.09COP 9,663
-74.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38₽118
$5.74COP 17.9K
-75.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.18₽101
$1.36COP 4,262
-13.24%
White Bread(500g)
$0.88₽75.6
$2.39COP 7,460
-63.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14₽98.1
$1.70COP 5,314
-32.94%
Eggs
$1.24₽106
$2.87COP 8,967
-56.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.72₽1,005
$9.94COP 31.1K
17.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.41₽464
$10.78COP 33.7K
-49.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.77₽1,010
$14.73COP 46.0K
-20.10%
Apples(1kg)
$1.92₽165
$4.09COP 12.8K
-53.06%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47₽126
$1.57COP 4,911
-6.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.77₽152
$2.13COP 6,642
-16.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.73₽234
$2.21COP 6,917
23.53%
Potato(1kg)
$0.61₽52.5
$2.05COP 6,396
-70.24%
Onion(1kg)
$0.64₽54.9
$1.50COP 4,700
-57.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.94₽80.8
$1.19COP 3,718
-21.01%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81₽69.2
$1.16COP 3,619
-30.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.86₽245
$3.90COP 12.2K
-26.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.23₽792
$14.44COP 45.1K
-36.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12₽96.1
$1.58COP 4,948
-29.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37₽203
$2.83COP 8,836
-16.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.97₽83.6
$1.17COP 3,650
-17.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$77.7COP 242.9K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.50₽129
$1.28COP 4,014
17.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.70₽60.1
$2.09COP 6,537
-66.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.05₽777
$8.62COP 26.9K
4.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84₽71.9
$1.30COP 4,056
-35.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K₽1.8M
$27.7KCOP 86.4M
-25.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K₽2.3M
$35.5KCOP 110.9M
-24.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121₽10.4K
$176COP 550.1K
-31.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.54₽390
$13.37COP 41.8K
-66.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.95₽682
$29.89COP 93.4K
-73.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$140₽12.0K
$44.76COP 139.8K
213.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.06COP 53.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.18₽445
$6.20COP 19.4K
-16.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$758₽65.1K
$793COP 2.5M
-4.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$22.0K₽1.9M
$9,019COP 28.2M
143.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.2₽4,998
$85.6COP 267.5K
-31.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.02₽2,490
$58.5COP 182.7K
-50.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.9₽8,054
$136COP 425.9K
-31.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$170₽14.6K
$103COP 322.2K
64.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$517₽44.4K
$1,060COP 3.3M
-51.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$439₽37.7K
$680COP 2.1M
-35.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$788₽67.6K
$2,012COP 6.3M
-60.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$525₽45.1K
$1,169COP 3.7M
-55.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,335₽200.4K
$4,111COP 12.8M
-43.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,066₽177.3K
$1,701COP 5.3M
21.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Korolyov
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$954₽81.8K
$665COP 2.1M
43.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
17.5
10.94
59.96%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Korolyov: August 30, 2026
Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Korolyov and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Korolyov pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $58.0 in Korolyov vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $303, with Korolyov cheaper for home cooking.
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
Korolyov vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Korolyov or Medellin?
Korolyov wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Korolyov the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Korolyov or in Medellin?
Average pay runs 43% higher in Korolyov, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Korolyov compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $517 in Korolyov versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Korolyov or in Medellin?
Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Korolyov compared to Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $1,259 per month in Korolyov versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Korolyov or in Medellin?
At $1,259 in Korolyov versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Korolyov but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Korolyov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Korolyov or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Korolyov delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,259 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Korolyov hard to pass up.
How safe is Korolyov compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Korolyov 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Korolyov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.