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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,028 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,530 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,032 in Astrakhan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1% more expensive than Astrakhan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.80 ₽811

-45.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$33.14 ₽2,489

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.76 ₽583

-7.22%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.87 ₽141

-9.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.85 ₽64.0

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.52 ₽39.31

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.30 ₽97.9

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.57 ₽193

20.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.28 ₽95.9

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.05 ₽79.1

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.02 ₽76.9

36.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.77 ₽133

27.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$24.66 ₽1,853

-82.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.98 ₽374

17.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.95 ₽522

27.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.64 ₽123

36.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.75 ₽131

-38.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.62 ₽122

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.41 ₽181

-43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.95 ₽71.6

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.56 ₽41.78

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.39 ₽105

-38.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.66 ₽49.68

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.89 ₽142

23.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.59 ₽495

68.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.06 ₽79.6

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.93 ₽145

22.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.53 ₽39.46

49.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$21.96 ₽1,650

87.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.47 ₽186

-41.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.33 ₽24.78

478.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.77 ₽283

112.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.94 ₽70.6

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.7K ₽2.6M

-48.31%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$32.0K ₽2.4M

-16.38%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$102 ₽7,629

-17.34%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$6.47 ₽486

48.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$5.51 ₽414

338.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$48.96 ₽3,677

-47.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$24.95 ₽1,874

-23.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.49 ₽412

-28.60%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$113 ₽8,517

170.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,984 ₽524.5K

-15.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$58.2 ₽4,370

-0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$31.48 ₽2,364

1.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$90.3 ₽6,784

10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$126 ₽9,499

-15.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$418 ₽31.4K

16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$313 ₽23.5K

17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$440 ₽33.0K

87.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$382 ₽28.7K

87.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,686 ₽126.7K

73.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,201 ₽90.2K

17.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$508 ₽38.1K

7.44%

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 Astrakhan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $418 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $33.00 in Astrakhan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $231 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,028 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 7% more on average, 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: $487 in Medellin versus $418 in Astrakhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Astrakhan runs roughly 87% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $113 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,028 in Astrakhan versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan 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 Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.