Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abakan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abakan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $884 in Abakan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,373 in Abakan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,862 in Abakan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 90% more than Abakan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Abakan is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$11.07 ₽935

-27.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$32.54 ₽2,749

47.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.24 ₽527

58.49%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.04 ₽257

2.96%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.14 ₽95.9

67.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.59 ₽50.2

155.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.74 ₽147

79.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.81 ₽237

104.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.10 ₽93.3

30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.71 ₽59.9

250.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.39 ₽118

27.34%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.45 ₽123

104.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.20 ₽946

-10.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.81 ₽491

74.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.26 ₽952

27.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.75 ₽148

136.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.80 ₽152

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.78 ₽151

26.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.65 ₽309

-38.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.74 ₽62.5

175.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.55 ₽46.30

180.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.38 ₽116

-15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.77 ₽65.1

70.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.95 ₽249

32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.18 ₽607

95.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.05 ₽88.7

65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.02 ₽170

42.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.43 ₽36.09

183.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.27 ₽192

-42.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.33 ₽27.59

563.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.06 ₽512

43.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.79 ₽66.4

73.42%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$39.4K ₽3.3M

-29.35%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$31.3K ₽2.6M

14.20%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$78.1 ₽6,595

127.16%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$9.74 ₽823

42.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$8.73 ₽738

240.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$35.13 ₽2,968

27.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$21.52 ₽1,818

-20.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.00 ₽507

10.83%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$330 ₽27.9K

146.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,255 ₽613.0K

26.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$42.23 ₽3,568

111.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$50.1 ₽4,229

17.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$106 ₽8,952

30.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$78.1 ₽6,597

30.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$341 ₽28.8K

211.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$239 ₽20.2K

177.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$527 ₽44.6K

257.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$352 ₽29.8K

191.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,655 ₽224.3K

57.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,730 ₽146.2K

-3.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$585 ₽49.5K

15.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-47.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Abakan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $341 in Abakan. 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 16% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Abakan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $213 – making Abakan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Abakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,326 in Abakan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abakan, 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $884 in Abakan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $330 in Abakan. 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 Abakan, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Abakan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abakan – 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 Abakan. 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.