Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biysk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biysk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,069 in Biysk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,722 in Biysk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,374 in Biysk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 57% more than Biysk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Biysk is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$11.72 ₽990

-31.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$58.3 ₽4,922

-17.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$6.58 ₽556

50.30%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.42 ₽205

29.34%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.02 ₽171

-5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.14 ₽96.7

32.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$4.06 ₽343

-23.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.80 ₽237

105.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.28 ₽108

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.73 ₽61.3

241.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.34 ₽114

32.09%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.57 ₽132

88.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.48 ₽886

-3.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.95 ₽587

45.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$14.24 ₽1,203

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.02 ₽171

104.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.75 ₽148

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.16 ₽182

4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$3.69 ₽311

-39.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.86 ₽73.0

137.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.57 ₽48.54

170.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.14 ₽96.3

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.92 ₽77.8

42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.49 ₽295

11.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$6.06 ₽512

131.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.00 ₽84.9

74.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.02 ₽171

42.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.50 ₽42.24

144.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.83 ₽154

-28.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.34 ₽28.48

544.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$6.47 ₽547

34.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.86 ₽72.8

59.30%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$25.6K ₽2.2M

8.61%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$27.6K ₽2.3M

29.57%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$143 ₽12.1K

23.86%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$6.06 ₽512

129.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$7.07 ₽598

320.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$39.53 ₽3,341

13.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$21.08 ₽1,782

-18.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.90 ₽498

12.71%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$338 ₽28.5K

140.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$6,417 ₽542.3K

43.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$67.0 ₽5,660

33.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$48.63 ₽4,110

21.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$120 ₽10.1K

15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$103 ₽8,733

-1.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$489 ₽41.3K

117.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$276 ₽23.3K

140.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$774 ₽65.4K

144.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$567 ₽47.9K

81.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,237 ₽189.1K

86.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,406 ₽118.9K

19.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.67

-53.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Biysk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $489 in Biysk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $58.0 in Biysk. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $229 in Biysk – so Biysk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Biysk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 57% more than Biysk, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,604 in Biysk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Biysk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $58.0 in Biysk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Biysk, where all-in costs run around $1,069, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Biysk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Biysk costs $1,069 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Biysk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.