😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,018 in Medellin versus $970 in Kholmsk.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $1,492 in Kholmsk.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $2,015 in Kholmsk.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 5% more expensive than in Kholmsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin24% lower, Kholmsk27% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.93COP 19.1K
$9.30₽722
-36.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.12COP 106.6K
$38.51₽2,990
-14.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.12COP 22.9K
$5.59₽434
27.37%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 5,487
$2.37₽184
-27.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05COP 3,374
$1.07₽83.0
-1.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,324
$0.52₽40.08
38.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,531
$1.42₽110
21.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17COP 10.2K
$2.62₽203
20.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,426
$1.11₽86.5
-4.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.31COP 4,215
$0.65₽50.5
101.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.33COP 4,279
$1.41₽110
-5.67%
Eggs
$2.28COP 7,338
$2.15₽167
6.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.42COP 14.2K
$10.87₽844
-59.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.92COP 19.0K
$4.81₽373
23.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.64COP 27.8K
$8.63₽670
0.12%
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 7,545
$1.82₽141
28.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.10COP 3,546
$1.82₽141
-39.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.47COP 4,724
$1.89₽147
-22.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,439
$2.66₽206
-48.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,774
$0.84₽65.0
39.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,765
$0.66₽51.1
77.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,905
$1.42₽110
-36.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84COP 2,708
$0.68₽52.8
23.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 7,490
$2.89₽224
-19.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.92COP 38.3K
$8.29₽643
43.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15COP 3,693
$0.94₽72.9
22.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42COP 7,791
$1.85₽144
30.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.84COP 2,702
$0.49₽37.74
71.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.83COP 131.4K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41COP 4,541
$1.85₽144
-23.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,160
$0.32₽25.14
496.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.83COP 25.2K
$6.33₽491
23.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,037
$0.77₽60.0
22.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.8KCOP 57.3M
$33.7K₽2.6M
-47.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1KCOP 87.1M
$35.3K₽2.7M
-23.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.3COP 267.9K
$109₽8,431
-23.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.66COP 31.1K
$5.89₽457
64.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.22COP 77.9K
$7.99₽620
203.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.22COP 81.2K
$35.49₽2,756
-28.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.33COP 62.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.07COP 13.1K
$4.95₽384
-17.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$307COP 986.5K
$321₽24.9K
-4.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,981COP 19.2M
$6,997₽543.2K
-14.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 192.9K
$70.4₽5,465
-14.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.65COP 105.1K
$44.37₽3,445
-26.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101COP 325.2K
$116₽9,038
-13.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 347.6K
$105₽8,154
2.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$476COP 1.5M
$442₽34.4K
7.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.2M
$306₽23.8K
23.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$816COP 2.6M
$774₽60.1K
5.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$707COP 2.3M
$506₽39.3K
39.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,190COP 10.3M
$2,366₽183.7K
34.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,446COP 4.7M
$1,345₽104.4K
7.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$622COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
18.33
-26.73%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026
Last update for Kholmsk: July 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $442 in Kholmsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Kholmsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $198 per month, with Medellin 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 Kholmsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Kholmsk?
Kholmsk wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kholmsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Kholmsk?
You'd need roughly $1,527 in Medellin and $1,455 in Kholmsk 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Kholmsk?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $442 in Kholmsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Kholmsk?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Kholmsk?
All in, you'll spend $1,018 per month in Medellin versus $970 in Kholmsk – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Kholmsk?
At $970 in Kholmsk versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kholmsk but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kholmsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Kholmsk?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kholmsk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $970 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kholmsk hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kholmsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.