Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barnaul Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barnaul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $975 in Barnaul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,439 in Barnaul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,904 in Barnaul.

Living in Medellin is roughly 73% more expensive than in Barnaul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Barnaul is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.66 ₽725

-8.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$39.52 ₽3,310

12.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.08 ₽509

52.80%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.76 ₽231

5.07%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.78 ₽65.6

132.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.31 ₽26.31

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.23 ₽103

164.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.47 ₽123

300.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.02 ₽85.0

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.63 ₽52.6

288.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.43 ₽120

5.59%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.62 ₽136

71.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$12.14 ₽1,017

-25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$5.00 ₽419

113.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$10.92 ₽914

33.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.90 ₽159

108.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.66 ₽139

-16.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.96 ₽164

17.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.15 ₽180

-6.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.37 ₽31.16

464.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.47 ₽39.12

246.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.31 ₽26.15

248.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.41 ₽34.03

204.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.43 ₽287

17.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$9.16 ₽767

47.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.01 ₽84.7

58.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.42 ₽119

111.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.54 ₽45.13

118.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$26.27 ₽2,200

204.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.60 ₽134

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.49 ₽41.40

334.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$6.13 ₽513

38.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.80 ₽67.1

68.75%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$24.0K ₽2.0M

18.15%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$34.3K ₽2.9M

3.94%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$112 ₽9,389

35.02%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$5.52 ₽462

137.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$8.25 ₽691

291.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$14.35 ₽1,201

222.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$18.05 ₽1,512

-4.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.91 ₽411

30.96%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$363 ₽30.4K

130.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$14.7K ₽1.2M

-39.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$36.48 ₽3,055

144.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$30.59 ₽2,561

80.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$137 ₽11.5K

-0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$96.4 ₽8,071

13.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$429 ₽35.9K

122.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$328 ₽27.4K

103.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$573 ₽48.0K

252.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$435 ₽36.5K

163.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,974 ₽165.3K

87.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,548 ₽129.7K

2.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$601 ₽50.4K

4.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

23.4

-55.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Barnaul: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $429 in Barnaul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 4% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $40.00 in Barnaul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $195 per month, with Barnaul 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 Barnaul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnaul wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Barnaul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% 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: $952 in Medellin versus $429 in Barnaul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $975 in Barnaul – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barnaul runs roughly 204% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $975 in Barnaul versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Barnaul but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Barnaul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Barnaul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $975 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Barnaul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Barnaul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Barnaul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.