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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $982 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,501 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,021 in Arzamas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 5% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Arzamas 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$9.38 ₽705

-36.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$37.81 ₽2,840

-13.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$5.79 ₽435

24.35%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.30 ₽173

-26.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$1.08 ₽81.0

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.48 ₽36.04

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.43 ₽107

16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$2.49 ₽187

24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.10 ₽82.4

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.70 ₽52.3

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.37 ₽103

1.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.71 ₽129

32.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$11.03 ₽829

-60.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$4.72 ₽355

23.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$9.02 ₽678

-2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$1.82 ₽136

23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.86 ₽140

-41.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.91 ₽144

-19.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$2.80 ₽211

-51.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.86 ₽64.5

31.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.66 ₽49.67

69.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.42 ₽107

-40.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.66 ₽49.37

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$2.89 ₽217

-19.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$6.59 ₽495

68.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$0.95 ₽71.5

25.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$1.95 ₽146

21.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.49 ₽36.84

61.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$1.85 ₽139

-22.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.35 ₽26.56

445.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$6.52 ₽490

23.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.76 ₽57.2

23.68%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$34.5K ₽2.6M

-48.12%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$35.2K ₽2.6M

-23.79%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$108 ₽8,080

-21.93%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$5.83 ₽438

64.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$7.60 ₽571

217.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$35.09 ₽2,637

-26.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$5.19 ₽390

-24.47%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$322 ₽24.2K

-4.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$7,020 ₽527.4K

-15.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$69.3 ₽5,209

-16.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$43.57 ₽3,273

-26.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$113 ₽8,488

-11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$106 ₽7,973

0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$451 ₽33.9K

7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$303 ₽22.7K

21.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$774 ₽58.1K

6.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$506 ₽38.0K

41.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,156 ₽162.0K

35.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,336 ₽100.4K

5.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 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 $195 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $982 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,472 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: $487 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $982 in Arzamas – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Arzamas versus $1,034 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 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.