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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $969 in Biysk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,484 in Biysk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,998 in Biysk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Biysk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Biysk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Biysk 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.26 ₽737

-36.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$38.31 ₽3,049

-13.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.62 ₽447

32.21%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.29 ₽182

-27.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.13 ₽89.9

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.48 ₽37.97

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.36 ₽108

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.51 ₽200

26.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.14 ₽91.1

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.69 ₽55.2

82.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.42 ₽113

-2.82%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.71 ₽136

27.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.71 ₽852

-58.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.98 ₽396

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.76 ₽697

2.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.81 ₽144

28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.88 ₽149

-43.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.96 ₽156

-22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.78 ₽221

-51.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.79 ₽62.5

43.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.71 ₽56.5

64.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.39 ₽111

-35.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.66 ₽52.9

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.95 ₽235

-24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.82 ₽622

54.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.02 ₽80.8

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.88 ₽150

31.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.49 ₽39.28

73.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.86 ₽148

-23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 ₽17.43

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.28 ₽500

25.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.72 ₽57.5

37.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.5K ₽2.7M

-48.91%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$35.6K ₽2.8M

-24.69%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$111 ₽8,822

-25.11%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$5.79 ₽461

67.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$7.58 ₽603

210.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$35.10 ₽2,794

-28.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.00 ₽398

-21.00%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$327 ₽26.0K

-3.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,075 ₽563.1K

-15.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$70.8 ₽5,634

-15.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.00 ₽3,581

-29.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$115 ₽9,172

-11.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$106 ₽8,399

1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$449 ₽35.7K

5.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$311 ₽24.7K

20.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$765 ₽60.9K

11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$513 ₽40.8K

40.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,136 ₽170.0K

52.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,396 ₽111.1K

3.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Biysk: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $449 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Biysk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $198 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 3% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,454 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Biysk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Biysk, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $969 versus $1,003 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.