😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,012 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,522 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,032 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 66% more expensive than in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy is 26% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02COP 24.9K
$10.66₽901
-24.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87COP 148.7K
$23.81₽2,011
101.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89COP 30.7K
$5.81₽491
70.22%
Cappuccino
$3.13COP 9,725
$3.12₽263
0.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91COP 5,929
$1.08₽91.7
76.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51COP 4,692
$0.50₽42.33
202.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12COP 9,705
$1.72₽145
81.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75COP 17.9K
$5.71₽482
0.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,490
$1.12₽95.0
28.57%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,726
$0.70₽59.1
255.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,511
$1.37₽116
29.20%
Eggs
$2.96COP 9,196
$1.33₽112
122.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 31.3K
$11.35₽959
-11.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12COP 31.4K
$5.17₽436
95.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30COP 44.4K
$9.56₽808
49.58%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14COP 12.9K
$1.71₽144
142.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61COP 4,997
$1.92₽162
-16.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25COP 6,977
$1.54₽131
46.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 6,998
$3.09₽261
-27.18%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04COP 6,348
$1.09₽91.9
87.16%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,770
$0.60₽50.6
156.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17COP 3,636
$0.97₽82.2
20.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,060
$0.64₽53.7
104.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.1K
$2.83₽239
37.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.5K
$5.79₽489
141.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74COP 5,416
$0.93₽78.6
87.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87COP 8,918
$1.97₽166
45.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22COP 3,776
$0.53₽44.96
130.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5COP 250.1K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,067
$3.59₽303
-63.51%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19COP 6,796
$0.16₽13.13
1268.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.71COP 27.1K
$3.94₽333
121.07%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37COP 4,241
$0.83₽70.3
65.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KCOP 86.5M
$29.0K₽2.4M
-3.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8KCOP 111.2M
$31.4K₽2.7M
13.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177COP 550.9K
$126₽10.7K
40.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88COP 43.1K
$9.56₽807
45.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72COP 92.4K
$8.56₽723
247.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.88COP 139.5K
$33.78₽2,853
32.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12COP 53.2K
$23.72₽2,004
-27.82%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.6K
$5.32₽450
25.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$813COP 2.5M
$355₽30.0K
128.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,187COP 28.5M
$6,347₽536.2K
44.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5COP 278.1K
$54.6₽4,612
63.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0COP 183.2K
$44.28₽3,741
33.18%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$138COP 429.4K
$105₽8,901
31.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 317.3K
$129₽10.9K
-20.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,062COP 3.3M
$460₽38.8K
131.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663COP 2.1M
$310₽26.2K
114.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,888COP 5.9M
$782₽66.1K
141.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027COP 3.2M
$530₽44.8K
93.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,183COP 13.0M
$2,278₽192.4K
83.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,675COP 5.2M
$1,437₽121.4K
16.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$678COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
16.5
-33.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Last update for Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $460 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $24.00 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $195 per month, with Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy 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 Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy cheaper than Medellin?
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $1,517 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $460 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,012 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
At $1,012 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy more family-friendly?
For families, Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.