😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,084 in Magadan versus $1,017 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,723 in Magadan versus $1,602 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,362 in Magadan versus $2,188 in Medellin.
😐Living in Magadan is roughly 7% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Magadan19% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.28₽672
$5.95COP 20.8K
55.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.0₽4,639
$33.33COP 116.3K
92.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.73₽415
$7.23COP 25.2K
-20.75%
Cappuccino
$3.13₽227
$1.63COP 5,687
92.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53₽111
$1.09COP 3,821
40.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07₽77.4
$0.73COP 2,548
46.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.41₽102
$1.74COP 6,065
-18.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52₽183
$3.23COP 11.3K
-21.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59₽115
$1.05COP 3,662
51.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.05₽76.2
$1.29COP 4,515
-18.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.49₽108
$1.32COP 4,617
12.88%
Eggs
$2.96₽214
$2.27COP 7,927
30.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.62₽1,059
$4.35COP 15.2K
236.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.18₽665
$5.88COP 20.5K
56.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.02₽1,161
$8.61COP 30.0K
86.06%
Apples(1kg)
$1.79₽130
$2.25COP 7,844
-20.44%
Banana(1kg)
$3.44₽249
$1.07COP 3,733
221.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.12₽226
$1.52COP 5,322
105.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76₽200
$1.42COP 4,964
94.37%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36₽98.8
$1.17COP 4,084
16.24%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17₽85.0
$1.17COP 4,077
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90₽65.4
$0.89COP 3,096
1.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20₽86.9
$0.90COP 3,146
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.20₽232
$2.25COP 7,837
42.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.81₽929
$11.04COP 38.5K
16.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03₽74.5
$1.14COP 3,977
-9.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56₽185
$2.38COP 8,301
7.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.00₽72.4
$0.84COP 2,916
19.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.95COP 146.4K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.56₽113
$1.41COP 4,912
10.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.33₽23.78
$1.90COP 6,634
-82.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.30₽456
$7.75COP 27.0K
-18.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.76₽55.4
$1.01COP 3,509
-24.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K₽2.5M
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
97.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.1K₽2.6M
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
36.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$110₽7,970
$83.7COP 292.1K
31.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.94₽430
$9.45COP 33.0K
-37.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.68₽556
$24.11COP 84.1K
-68.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.72₽2,588
$25.31COP 88.3K
41.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.14COP 66.8K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.18₽375
$4.10COP 14.3K
26.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$322₽23.3K
$312COP 1.1M
3.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,965₽504.7K
$5,993COP 20.9M
16.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.2₽5,161
$58.0COP 202.6K
22.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.78₽3,172
$32.56COP 113.6K
34.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113₽8,179
$99.6COP 347.7K
13.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108₽7,789
$109COP 378.8K
-0.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$444₽32.1K
$482COP 1.7M
-8.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$303₽22.0K
$379COP 1.3M
-20.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$771₽55.9K
$837COP 2.9M
-7.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$513₽37.2K
$723COP 2.5M
-29.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,840COP 9.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,223COP 4.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Magadan
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,098₽79.5K
$541COP 1.9M
102.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12
13.43
-10.65%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Magadan: June 9, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Magadan and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Magadan pays 103% 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: $64.0 in Magadan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 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
Magadan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Magadan or Medellin?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Magadan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Magadan or Medellin?
Magadan pays 103% more on average, 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 Magadan vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Magadan versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Magadan and Medellin?
Childcare runs $322 in Magadan versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Magadan vs Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $64.0 in Magadan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Magadan or Medellin?
At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,084 in Magadan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Magadan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Magadan or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Magadan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.