Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arkhangelsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arkhangelsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,076 in Arkhangelsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $1,673 in Arkhangelsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $2,271 in Arkhangelsk.

Living in Medellin is roughly 60% more expensive than in Arkhangelsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Arkhangelsk is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$46.28 ₽3,971

4.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$9.18 ₽788

6.43%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.54 ₽303

-17.80%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$2.31 ₽198

-16.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$2.33 ₽200

-34.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$3.57 ₽307

-13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$5.95 ₽510

-3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.06 ₽90.6

28.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.92 ₽78.6

159.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.79 ₽153

-5.03%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.62 ₽139

77.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$8.08 ₽693

23.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.63 ₽483

91.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$12.50 ₽1,073

17.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.39 ₽205

71.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.70 ₽146

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.14 ₽98.2

86.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.36 ₽203

-6.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.83 ₽71.0

146.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.45 ₽38.52

233.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.47 ₽40.48

153.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.55 ₽47.58

110.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.83 ₽243

37.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$8.14 ₽698

77.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$0.78 ₽67.3

102.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.88 ₽248

-1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.58 ₽49.98

101.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$50.3 ₽4,320

54.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$4.58 ₽393

-72.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.16 ₽13.71

1206.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.82 ₽70.3

58.54%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$47.1K ₽4.0M

-41.30%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$34.2K ₽2.9M

3.76%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$108 ₽9,256

63.24%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$9.36 ₽804

42.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$17.72 ₽1,521

68.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$52.5 ₽4,506

-14.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$45.63 ₽3,916

-62.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$9.37 ₽804

-33.83%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$176 ₽15.1K

349.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$80.8 ₽6,936

5.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$34.23 ₽2,938

70.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$91.3 ₽7,835

49.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$91.5 ₽7,852

12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$500 ₽42.9K

112.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$379 ₽32.5K

79.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$708 ₽60.7K

184.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$615 ₽52.8K

89.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,471 ₽126.2K

179.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,109 ₽95.1K

53.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$488 ₽41.9K

36.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-52.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arkhangelsk: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $500 in Arkhangelsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $46.00 in Arkhangelsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $200 per month, with Arkhangelsk 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 Arkhangelsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Arkhangelsk differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,716 vs $1,076 including rent). Arkhangelsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,060 in Medellin versus $500 in Arkhangelsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $1,076 in Arkhangelsk – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arkhangelsk runs roughly 54% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,076 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arkhangelsk but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Arkhangelsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Arkhangelsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.