Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makhachkala and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Makhachkala: $1,009 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Makhachkala
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Makhachkala Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Makhachkala

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,009

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makhachkala and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makhachkala and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,009 per month in Makhachkala vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

Makhachkala $1,009
Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $1,562 per month in Makhachkala vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

Makhachkala $1,562
Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $2,115 per month in Makhachkala vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

Makhachkala $2,115
Medellin $3,190

Makhachkala is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Makhachkala sits 25% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 ₽851

$7.93 COP 25.2K

28.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ₽2,648

$46.13 COP 146.3K

-31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ₽457

$9.50 COP 30.1K

-42.32%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₽221

$3.11 COP 9,866

-14.79%

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

$1.17 ₽98.0

$1.83 COP 5,800

-36.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽51.1

$1.38 COP 4,360

-55.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ₽162

$3.05 COP 9,672

-36.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₽246

$5.50 COP 17.4K

-46.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₽91.6

$1.45 COP 4,600

-24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₽58.9

$2.36 COP 7,496

-69.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ₽118

$1.68 COP 5,328

-16.07%

Eggs

$1.53 ₽127

$2.86 COP 9,077

-46.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 ₽917

$10.19 COP 32.3K

7.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 ₽450

$9.53 COP 30.2K

-43.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 ₽921

$14.04 COP 44.5K

-21.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₽142

$4.07 COP 12.9K

-58.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₽146

$1.50 COP 4,742

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ₽146

$2.17 COP 6,891

-19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 ₽232

$2.31 COP 7,310

20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₽67.4

$1.93 COP 6,113

-58.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 ₽51.1

$1.64 COP 5,196

-62.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.13 COP 3,571

8.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₽61.8

$1.25 COP 3,954

-40.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₽278

$3.99 COP 12.6K

-16.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 ₽661

$13.35 COP 42.3K

-40.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₽91.4

$1.70 COP 5,384

-35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽168

$2.37 COP 7,525

-14.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₽44.80

$1.21 COP 3,827

-55.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ₽225

$1.32 COP 4,179

104.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ₽33.48

$2.14 COP 6,774

-81.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 ₽477

$8.47 COP 26.8K

-32.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₽70.2

$1.30 COP 4,114

-35.38%

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

$41.0K ₽3.4M

$28.0K COP 88.7M

46.37%

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

$37.4K ₽3.1M

$35.4K COP 112.3M

5.47%

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

$110 ₽9,172

$172 COP 545.6K

-36.14%

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

$5.49 ₽458

$13.37 COP 42.4K

-58.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.44 ₽705

$28.73 COP 91.1K

-70.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.62 ₽2,973

$45.24 COP 143.5K

-21.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.57 ₽1,967

$17.04 COP 54.0K

38.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 ₽512

$6.28 COP 19.9K

-2.39%

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

$348 ₽29.1K

$770 COP 2.4M

-54.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,288 ₽441.3K

$9,011 COP 28.6M

-41.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 ₽6,688

$86.4 COP 274.0K

-7.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 ₽4,518

$57.1 COP 181.1K

-5.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₽8,539

$137 COP 432.9K

-25.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ₽9,353

$97.9 COP 310.4K

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₽38.4K

$1,055 COP 3.3M

-56.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ₽26.3K

$616 COP 2.0M

-48.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₽74.4K

$1,892 COP 6.0M

-52.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 ₽46.4K

$1,023 COP 3.2M

-45.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,226 ₽185.8K

$4,059 COP 12.9M

-45.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,492 ₽124.5K

$1,678 COP 5.3M

-11.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ₽51.9K

$652 COP 2.1M

-4.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.45

10.94

96.07%

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

Last update for Makhachkala: October 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makhachkala

$315 31.2%

Medellin

$616 38.2% 95.4% $301

Groceries & Markets

Makhachkala

$206 20.4%

Medellin

$295 18.3% 43.4% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Makhachkala

$157 15.6%

Medellin

$170 10.5% 8.4% $13

Eating Out

Makhachkala

$153 15.1%

Medellin

$168 10.4% 10.3% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makhachkala

$124 12.3%

Medellin

$214 13.3% 73% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Makhachkala

$48 4.8%

Medellin

$58 3.6% 20.7% $9.9

Getting Around

Makhachkala

$6.9 * 0.7%

Medellin

$93 5.8% 1262% $86

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Makhachkala versus $1,055 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Makhachkala versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $295 – making Makhachkala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Makhachkala

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

10:39 10:39 AM

02:39 2:39 AM

8 h behind Makhachkala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

604,266

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to RUB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Makhachkala Medellin 12,100 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Makhachkala
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Makhachkala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,513 per month in Makhachkala and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Makhachkala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,009 in Makhachkala and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 60%.

Kindergarten costs $348 per month in Makhachkala and $770 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Makhachkala, where all-in costs run around $1,009, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Makhachkala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Makhachkala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Makhachkala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.