😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,095 in Achinsk.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $1,716 in Achinsk.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $2,337 in Achinsk.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 57% more expensive than in Achinsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Achinsk is 20% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03COP 25.1K
$11.79₽1,012
-31.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26COP 150.8K
$38.97₽3,345
23.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.77COP 30.5K
$6.04₽519
61.75%
Cappuccino
$2.91COP 9,095
$3.13₽268
-7.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94COP 6,074
$1.20₽103
61.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52COP 4,754
$0.60₽51.5
153.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09COP 9,663
$2.35₽202
31.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74COP 17.9K
$3.60₽309
59.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,262
$1.35₽116
0.74%
White Bread(500g)
$2.39COP 7,460
$0.66₽56.7
262.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,314
$1.45₽124
17.24%
Eggs
$2.87COP 8,967
$1.58₽136
81.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.94COP 31.1K
$9.40₽807
5.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.78COP 33.7K
$6.23₽534
73.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.73COP 46.0K
$12.41₽1,065
18.69%
Apples(1kg)
$4.09COP 12.8K
$1.97₽169
107.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57COP 4,911
$1.86₽159
-15.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.13COP 6,642
$1.39₽119
53.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.21COP 6,917
$3.94₽338
-43.91%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05COP 6,396
$0.66₽56.6
210.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50COP 4,700
$0.59₽50.5
154.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19COP 3,718
$1.72₽147
-30.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16COP 3,619
$0.71₽60.6
63.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.2K
$3.04₽261
28.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.44COP 45.1K
$6.48₽556
122.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58COP 4,948
$1.17₽100.0
35.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83COP 8,836
$2.65₽227
6.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.17COP 3,650
$0.51₽43.58
129.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.7COP 242.9K
$21.33₽1,831
264.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.28COP 4,014
$2.61₽224
-50.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.09COP 6,537
$0.20₽16.96
945.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.62COP 26.9K
$4.36₽374
97.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30COP 4,056
$0.78₽67.3
66.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7KCOP 86.4M
$28.9K₽2.5M
-4.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5KCOP 110.9M
$27.0K₽2.3M
31.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$176COP 550.1K
$111₽9,496
59.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37COP 41.8K
$5.41₽464
147.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89COP 93.4K
$8.61₽739
247.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.76COP 139.8K
$34.96₽3,001
28.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06COP 53.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.20COP 19.4K
$5.32₽456
16.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$793COP 2.5M
$371₽31.8K
113.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,019COP 28.2M
$6,690₽574.1K
34.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6COP 267.5K
$55.0₽4,716
55.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5COP 182.7K
$44.48₽3,818
31.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$136COP 425.9K
$200₽17.1K
-31.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103COP 322.2K
$126₽10.8K
-17.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,060COP 3.3M
$440₽37.7K
141.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$680COP 2.1M
$313₽26.9K
116.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,012COP 6.3M
$751₽64.4K
168.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,169COP 3.7M
$536₽46.0K
117.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,111COP 12.8M
$2,090₽179.4K
96.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,701COP 5.3M
$1,432₽122.9K
18.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$665COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
22.37
-51.10%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026
Last update for Achinsk: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $440 in Achinsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Achinsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $218 per month, with Achinsk cheaper across the board.
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 Achinsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Achinsk cheaper than Medellin?
Achinsk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,574 in Medellin and $1,643 in Achinsk to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Achinsk?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,060 in Medellin versus $440 in Achinsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $793 in Medellin versus $371 in Achinsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Achinsk?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Achinsk?
At $1,095 in Achinsk versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Achinsk but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Achinsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Achinsk more family-friendly?
For families, Achinsk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Achinsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.