😐A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $995 in Apatity, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,539 in Apatity, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,083 in Apatity, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 65% more than Apatity, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Apatity is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$11.24₽944
-28.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$35.72₽3,003
35.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$6.21₽522
51.69%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$2.59₽218
13.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$1.05₽88.6
77.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.56₽47.12
160.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.67₽140
92.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$2.81₽237
103.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$0.98₽82.1
46.94%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$0.66₽55.7
263.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$1.23₽104
38.21%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$1.31₽110
120.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$9.55₽803
5.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$4.64₽390
114.87%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
$10.33₽868
37.46%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$1.69₽142
135.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$1.70₽143
-7.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$1.58₽133
36.08%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$2.87₽241
-19.86%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$0.74₽62.6
170.27%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$0.58₽48.46
160.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$1.31₽110
-8.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.66₽55.7
93.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$2.91₽245
31.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$6.47₽544
116.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$0.93₽78.2
83.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$1.90₽159
44.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.53₽44.28
135.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$2.21₽185
-40.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.29₽24.08
648.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$6.00₽504
38.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$0.72₽60.6
88.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$35.7K₽3.0M
-23.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$33.8K₽2.8M
8.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$124₽10.5K
35.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$6.18₽519
119.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$8.83₽742
220.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$32.72₽2,750
39.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$25.94₽2,181
-33.62%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$5.01₽421
32.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$315₽26.4K
155.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$5,564₽467.6K
65.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$66.2₽5,565
31.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$41.08₽3,453
44.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$113₽9,493
22.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$101₽8,495
0.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$446₽37.5K
139.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$299₽25.2K
118.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$730₽61.4K
163.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$574₽48.2K
82.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$2,237₽188.0K
84.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$1,256₽105.6K
35.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
27.67
-60.46%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Apatity: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $446 in Apatity. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Apatity. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $187 – making Apatity 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 Apatity: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Apatity cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,493 in Apatity. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Apatity, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Apatity?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $995 in Apatity. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $315 in Apatity. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Apatity?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Apatity, where all-in costs run around $995, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Apatity it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Apatity more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Apatity – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Apatity?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Apatity. 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.