😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $906 in Achinsk.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,346 in Achinsk.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,787 in Achinsk.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 14% more expensive than in Achinsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Achinsk32% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16COP 20.1K
$7.78₽611
-20.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60COP 106.1K
$24.88₽1,955
31.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.34COP 23.9K
$3.59₽282
104.46%
Cappuccino
$1.72COP 5,599
$2.19₽172
-21.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05COP 3,420
$0.97₽76.3
8.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77COP 2,515
$0.73₽57.4
5.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.69COP 5,487
$2.01₽158
-15.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17COP 10.3K
$1.46₽115
117.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05COP 3,423
$1.13₽88.6
-7.08%
White Bread(500g)
$1.30COP 4,236
$0.70₽55.3
85.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40COP 4,544
$1.46₽115
-4.11%
Eggs
$2.16COP 7,046
$1.46₽115
47.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.39COP 14.3K
$8.93₽702
-50.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.88COP 19.1K
$4.54₽356
29.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.64COP 28.1K
$9.24₽726
-6.49%
Apples(1kg)
$2.28COP 7,425
$1.89₽148
20.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.11COP 3,603
$1.39₽109
-20.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 4,982
$1.61₽127
-4.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.35COP 4,410
$1.26₽99.4
7.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,674
$1.22₽96.2
-7.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,692
$0.76₽59.8
48.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 2,753
$0.67₽53.0
26.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 2,975
$0.58₽45.56
56.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34COP 7,629
$3.12₽245
-25.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.37COP 40.3K
$6.90₽542
79.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 3,909
$1.05₽82.4
14.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49COP 8,104
$1.43₽113
74.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.84COP 2,727
$0.54₽42.06
55.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.57COP 132.1K
$25.43₽1,998
59.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,623
$1.95₽153
-27.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.92COP 6,235
$0.33₽25.61
481.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.66COP 24.9K
$1.95₽153
292.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,223
$0.57₽45.02
73.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
$42.7K₽3.4M
-57.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
$50.5K₽4.0M
-47.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$80.8COP 263.1K
$106₽8,365
-24.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95COP 32.4K
$5.45₽428
82.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18COP 78.7K
$8.17₽642
195.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.08COP 81.6K
$36.13₽2,838
-30.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15COP 62.3K
$32.14₽2,525
-40.42%
Cinema Ticket
$3.98COP 13.0K
$4.98₽392
-20.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$305COP 993.4K
$142₽11.2K
114.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,059COP 19.7M
$6,914₽543.1K
-12.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1COP 189.2K
$64.8₽5,090
-10.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20COP 104.8K
$58.0₽4,560
-44.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101COP 327.9K
$52.0₽4,082
93.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 350.8K
$54.9₽4,313
96.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$477COP 1.6M
$452₽35.5K
5.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$376COP 1.2M
$301₽23.6K
24.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$845COP 2.7M
$761₽59.8K
11.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$730COP 2.4M
$507₽39.8K
44.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,215COP 10.5M
$2,292₽180.1K
40.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,372COP 4.5M
$1,636₽128.6K
-16.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Achinsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
11
22.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Last update for Achinsk: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $452 in Achinsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Achinsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $175 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,358 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: $477 in Medellin versus $452 in Achinsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $142 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 11% 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 $906 in Achinsk versus $1,031 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.