Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arzamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arzamas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $950 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,487 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,025 in Arzamas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 7% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Arzamas 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.77 ₽708

-39.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.36 ₽2,780

-13.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.59 ₽405

29.34%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.37 ₽172

-31.22%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.11 ₽80.6

-1.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.52 ₽37.83

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.43 ₽104

21.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.46 ₽179

31.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.15 ₽83.4

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.69 ₽50.4

86.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.36 ₽98.9

-2.94%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.80 ₽131

26.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.75 ₽779

-59.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.94 ₽358

19.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.80 ₽638

-2.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.75 ₽127

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.81 ₽131

-40.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.98 ₽144

-23.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.67 ₽193

-46.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.80 ₽58.2

46.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.72 ₽52.3

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.35 ₽98.0

-34.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.71 ₽51.8

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.90 ₽210

-22.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.77 ₽491

63.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.01 ₽72.9

12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.96 ₽142

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.53 ₽38.30

58.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.89 ₽137

-25.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.35 ₽25.49

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.28 ₽455

23.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.77 ₽56.1

31.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.0K ₽2.5M

-48.30%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$35.9K ₽2.6M

-26.27%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$110 ₽7,979

-24.01%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$6.09 ₽441

55.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$8.03 ₽582

200.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$34.93 ₽2,531

-27.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.22 ₽378

-21.46%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$330 ₽23.9K

-5.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,082 ₽513.1K

-15.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$70.4 ₽5,100

-17.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$45.14 ₽3,271

-27.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$115 ₽8,368

-13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$107 ₽7,768

1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$451 ₽32.7K

7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$309 ₽22.4K

22.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$764 ₽55.4K

9.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$500 ₽36.3K

44.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,217 ₽160.6K

28.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,864 ₽135.1K

-34.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.33

-12.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $451 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $38.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $196 per month, with Medellin 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 Arzamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Arzamas differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $950 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,424 in Arzamas 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $451 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $950 in Arzamas – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Arzamas versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas 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 Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.