Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Astrakhan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Astrakhan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,029 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,529 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,029 in Astrakhan.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 3% less than in Astrakhan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Astrakhan 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.85 ₽863

-45.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$34.14 ₽2,717

-3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.77 ₽618

-4.38%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.86 ₽148

-11.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.92 ₽73.1

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.49 ₽38.71

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.29 ₽102

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.56 ₽204

24.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.33 ₽105

-17.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.05 ₽83.7

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.06 ₽84.5

30.19%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.80 ₽143

21.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$24.51 ₽1,951

-81.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.73 ₽376

22.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.80 ₽541

31.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.55 ₽123

49.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.73 ₽138

-38.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.62 ₽129

-6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.39 ₽190

-43.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.91 ₽72.3

24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.57 ₽45.29

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.39 ₽111

-35.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.65 ₽52.1

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.86 ₽148

19.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$3.78 ₽301

220.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.10 ₽87.5

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.88 ₽149

31.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.50 ₽39.66

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$22.08 ₽1,757

88.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.59 ₽206

-45.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.35 ₽27.93

457.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.87 ₽308

103.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.86 ₽68.3

15.12%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.3K ₽2.7M

-48.73%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.2K ₽2.6M

-16.81%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$105 ₽8,352

-20.89%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$6.54 ₽521

48.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$5.49 ₽437

328.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$48.36 ₽3,849

-47.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$24.45 ₽1,946

-21.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.33 ₽424

-25.89%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$114 ₽9,090

176.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,933 ₽551.8K

-13.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$57.7 ₽4,589

4.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$32.19 ₽2,562

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$90.2 ₽7,176

12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$127 ₽10.1K

-15.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$407 ₽32.4K

16.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$316 ₽25.1K

18.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$449 ₽35.7K

89.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$381 ₽30.3K

88.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,268 ₽101.0K

157.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$633 ₽50.4K

127.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$414 ₽32.9K

50.92%

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 Astrakhan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $407 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Astrakhan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $223 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 Astrakhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Astrakhan differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,029 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $407 in Astrakhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 88% less than in Astrakhan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $114 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,029 in Astrakhan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Astrakhan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Astrakhan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.