Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barnaul

For one person, living is cheaper in Barnaul: $999 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Barnaul
Learn more

Barnaul Living Index

Jump to prices

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Barnaul

🇷🇺 Russia

$999

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Barnaul

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,614 in Medellin versus $999 in Barnaul.

Medellin $1,614
Barnaul $999

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,402 in Medellin versus $1,517 in Barnaul.

Medellin $2,402
Barnaul $1,517

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,190 in Medellin versus $2,035 in Barnaul.

Medellin $3,190
Barnaul $2,035

Living in Medellin is roughly 62% more expensive than in Barnaul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Barnaul is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$11.39 ₽951

-30.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

$39.14 ₽3,267

17.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$6.02 ₽503

57.81%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$2.63 ₽219

18.25%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$0.69 ₽57.4

165.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

$0.56 ₽46.87

146.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

$1.17 ₽97.3

160.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

$1.41 ₽118

290.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$1.04 ₽86.9

39.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$0.57 ₽47.68

314.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$1.36 ₽114

23.53%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$1.47 ₽123

94.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

$11.72 ₽979

-13.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$4.55 ₽380

109.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$11.84 ₽989

18.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$1.86 ₽155

118.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$1.79 ₽149

-16.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

$1.93 ₽161

12.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

$2.16 ₽181

6.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

$0.80 ₽67.2

141.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

$0.46 ₽38.71

256.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$1.50 ₽125

-24.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$0.43 ₽36.22

190.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

$3.02 ₽252

32.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$9.59 ₽800

39.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

$0.92 ₽76.6

84.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

$1.39 ₽116

70.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

$0.56 ₽46.71

116.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

$25.42 ₽2,121

200.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

$1.55 ₽129

-14.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

$0.50 ₽41.80

328.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

$5.88 ₽491

44.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$0.80 ₽67.0

62.50%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

$24.3K ₽2.0M

15.40%

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

$33.3K ₽2.8M

6.29%

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

$172 COP 545.6K

$109 ₽9,104

57.76%

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$6.13 ₽511

118.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

$7.99 ₽667

259.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

$17.64 ₽1,472

-3.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$4.91 ₽410

27.90%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

$351 ₽29.3K

119.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

$14.5K ₽1.2M

-37.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

$63.9 ₽5,334

35.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

$44.19 ₽3,688

29.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

$113 ₽9,422

20.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

$98.8 ₽8,243

-0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

$444 ₽37.1K

137.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$335 ₽28.0K

83.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$660 ₽55.1K

186.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

$504 ₽42.1K

102.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

$2,005 ₽167.3K

102.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

$1,697 ₽141.6K

-1.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$664 ₽55.4K

-1.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

22.83

-52.08%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Barnaul: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Barnaul

$335 33.5% 45.6% $281

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Barnaul

$201 20.1% 31.9% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Barnaul

$123 12.3% 42.5% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Barnaul

$144 14.4% 15.4% $26

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Barnaul

$154 15.5% 8.3% $14

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Barnaul

$32 3.2% 66% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Barnaul

$9.8 * 1% 83% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Medellin and $444 in Barnaul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnaul pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Barnaul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $201 per month, with Barnaul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇷🇺 Barnaul

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

14:59 2:59 PM

12 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

631,124

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 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 October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Medellin Barnaul 13,110 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Barnaul

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 Barnaul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnaul wins on cost – living expenses run 62% 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.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Barnaul. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Medellin versus $444 in Barnaul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,614 per month in Medellin versus $999 in Barnaul – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barnaul runs roughly 201% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $999 in Barnaul versus $1,614 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 $999 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 62% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.