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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $954 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,466 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,978 in Arzamas.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Arzamas 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.35 ₽745

-36.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$37.43 ₽2,979

-11.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.73 ₽456

29.67%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.25 ₽179

-26.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.12 ₽88.8

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.51 ₽40.67

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.40 ₽112

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.49 ₽198

27.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.12 ₽88.8

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.65 ₽52.1

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.37 ₽109

0.73%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.70 ₽135

28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.80 ₽859

-58.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.92 ₽391

17.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.71 ₽693

2.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.72 ₽137

34.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.88 ₽150

-43.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.98 ₽157

-23.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.71 ₽215

-49.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.83 ₽66.2

36.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.66 ₽52.9

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.40 ₽112

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.72 ₽57.3

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.85 ₽227

-21.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.46 ₽514

87.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.01 ₽80.0

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.88 ₽150

31.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.53 ₽42.05

60.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.91 ₽152

-25.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.33 ₽26.23

490.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.51 ₽518

21.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.77 ₽61.3

28.57%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$33.9K ₽2.7M

-48.05%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$35.4K ₽2.8M

-24.21%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$107 ₽8,553

-22.75%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$5.82 ₽463

66.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$7.94 ₽632

196.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$35.86 ₽2,854

-29.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.11 ₽407

-22.70%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$325 ₽25.9K

-2.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,044 ₽560.7K

-15.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$70.2 ₽5,587

-14.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.06 ₽3,586

-29.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$114 ₽9,058

-10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$106 ₽8,408

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$448 ₽35.6K

6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$300 ₽23.9K

24.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$758 ₽60.3K

12.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$501 ₽39.9K

43.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,008 ₽159.8K

62.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,434 ₽114.1K

0.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $448 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $37.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $194 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 ($1,003 vs $954 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,431 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: $475 in Medellin versus $448 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $954 in Arzamas – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Arzamas versus $1,003 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.