Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arzamas

For one person, living is cheaper in Arzamas: $1,117 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Arzamas
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Arzamas Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Arzamas

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,117

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Arzamas

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 Arzamas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $1,117 in Arzamas.

Medellin $1,639
Arzamas $1,117

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $1,737 in Arzamas.

Medellin $2,413
Arzamas $1,737

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $2,357 in Arzamas.

Medellin $3,186
Arzamas $2,357

Living in Medellin is roughly 47% more expensive than in Arzamas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Arzamas is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$12.60 ₽1,015

-35.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$38.36 ₽3,090

22.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$6.10 ₽491

55.74%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$2.65 ₽214

13.58%

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

$1.08 ₽86.9

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$0.66 ₽52.9

113.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$1.90 ₽153

67.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$3.22 ₽260

78.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$1.30 ₽105

16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

$0.79 ₽63.8

201.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$1.57 ₽127

12.74%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$1.68 ₽136

72.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$9.96 ₽802

2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$5.69 ₽458

73.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

$12.43 ₽1,001

12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$1.79 ₽144

121.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

$1.79 ₽144

-13.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

$1.58 ₽127

37.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

$3.03 ₽244

-28.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

$0.77 ₽61.9

154.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

$0.54 ₽43.79

194.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

$1.31 ₽105

-12.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

$0.73 ₽59.0

69.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$2.69 ₽216

47.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$8.28 ₽667

65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

$1.20 ₽97.0

38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

$2.06 ₽166

9.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

$0.51 ₽40.90

129.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

$26.27 ₽2,115

194.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

$2.27 ₽183

-44.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

$0.34 ₽27.10

502.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$5.64 ₽454

51.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$0.92 ₽74.5

46.74%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

$60.6K ₽4.9M

-43.77%

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$41.2K ₽3.3M

-15.81%

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

$170 COP 547.8K

$143 ₽11.5K

18.93%

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

$7.06 ₽568

91.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$7.59 ₽611

269.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

$36.06 ₽2,904

21.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

$25.44 ₽2,049

-32.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$6.94 ₽559

-0.43%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$373 ₽30.1K

113.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$7,263 ₽584.9K

25.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

$76.4 ₽6,156

10.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

$51.3 ₽4,128

13.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

$116 ₽9,369

16.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

$113 ₽9,109

-13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$303 ₽24.4K

297.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$328 ₽26.4K

95.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$497 ₽40.0K

308.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$596 ₽48.0K

69.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

$2,238 ₽180.2K

86.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$1,752 ₽141.1K

9.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

21.45

-49.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Arzamas

$328 29.4% 48.8% $313

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Arzamas

$215 19.2% 27.7% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Arzamas

$157 14.1% 25.6% $54

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Arzamas

$174 15.6% 2.5% $4.2

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Arzamas

$161 14.4% 4.9% $8.3

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Arzamas

$32 2.9% 65.5% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Arzamas

$50 4.5% 13.2% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $303 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $38 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $215 per month, with Arzamas cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇷🇺 Arzamas

🕒 Local time

00:26 12:26 AM

08:26 8:26 AM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

103,396

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.92 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Arzamas 11,210 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Arzamas

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 Arzamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,117 in Arzamas, so Arzamas is about 32% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $1,676 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: $1,208 in Medellin versus $303 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $1,117 in Arzamas – Arzamas is about 32% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Arzamas runs roughly 66% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Arzamas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.