Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Apatity

For one person, living is cheaper in Apatity: $1,079 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Apatity, Russia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Apatity
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,079
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Apatity

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,079 in Apatity, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Apatity $1,079

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,676 in Apatity, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Apatity $1,676

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,273 in Apatity, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Apatity $2,273

Medellin costs about 52% more than Apatity, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Apatity is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$11.69 ₽943
-30.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$37.00 ₽2,984
27.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$6.52 ₽526
45.71%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$2.74 ₽221
9.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$1.15 ₽92.6
56.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$0.62 ₽50.3
127.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$1.83 ₽148
73.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$3.06 ₽247
87.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.18 ₽95.0
27.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$0.78 ₽63.1
205.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$1.39 ₽112
27.34%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$1.62 ₽131
78.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$11.40 ₽919
-10.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$5.19 ₽419
90.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$11.61 ₽937
20.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$1.70 ₽137
133.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$1.77 ₽143
-12.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$1.82 ₽147
19.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$2.78 ₽225
-21.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$0.83 ₽66.6
136.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$0.63 ₽50.5
152.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$1.35 ₽109
-14.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.70 ₽56.6
77.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$3.04 ₽245
30.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$7.82 ₽630
74.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$1.11 ₽89.6
49.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$2.05 ₽165
10.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$0.52 ₽42.19
125.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$26.02 ₽2,099
197.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$2.40 ₽194
-47.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$0.37 ₽30.12
454.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$5.84 ₽471
46.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$0.82 ₽66.1
64.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$53.6K ₽4.3M
-36.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$40.3K ₽3.3M
-14.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$120 ₽9,712
40.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$6.24 ₽503
117.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$8.35 ₽673
236.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$36.12 ₽2,913
20.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
$24.60 ₽1,984
-30.12%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$6.44 ₽520
7.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$354 ₽28.6K
124.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$6,175 ₽498.0K
47.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$83.0 ₽6,697
2.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$53.9 ₽4,346
7.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$120 ₽9,695
12.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$106 ₽8,514
-7.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$469 ₽37.8K
157.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$321 ₽25.9K
99.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$901 ₽72.7K
124.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$563 ₽45.4K
79.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$2,211 ₽178.3K
88.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$1,519 ₽122.5K
25.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Apatity
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Apatity: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Apatity
$321 49.9% $320
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Apatity
$210 29.4% $87
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Apatity
$135 36.1% $76
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Apatity
$168 0.8% $1.3
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Apatity
$163 3.4% $5.8
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Apatity
$32 65.4% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Apatity
$49 14.8% $8.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $469 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 $47 in Medellin versus $37 in Apatity. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $210 – making Apatity the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇷🇺 Apatity
🕒 Local time
13:41 1:41 PM
21:41 9:41 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
48,748
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.65 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.78 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Apatity 10,150 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Apatity

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

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 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,618 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $469 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 66% less in Apatity. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Medellin and $354 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 $1,079, than in Medellin at $1,639. 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Apatity is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 52% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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