😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $999 in Kholmsk.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,536 in Kholmsk.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,073 in Kholmsk.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 64% more expensive than in Kholmsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Kholmsk is 28% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$9.56₽804
-15.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$38.59₽3,243
25.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$5.87₽493
60.48%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$2.61₽219
12.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$0.95₽79.9
95.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.66₽55.8
121.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.87₽158
71.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$3.16₽266
80.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$0.96₽80.5
50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$0.78₽65.3
207.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$1.19₽99.8
42.86%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$1.52₽128
90.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$9.74₽819
3.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$5.58₽469
78.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
$11.99₽1,007
18.43%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$1.96₽164
103.06%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$1.79₽150
-11.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$1.98₽166
8.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$2.38₽200
-3.36%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$0.81₽68.3
146.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$0.62₽52.2
143.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$1.40₽118
-14.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.79₽66.5
62.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$3.01₽253
27.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$7.65₽643
83.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$1.10₽92.6
55.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$2.10₽176
30.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.50₽42.42
150.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$2.46₽207
-46.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.35₽29.78
520.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$4.60₽387
80.22%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$0.77₽65.0
76.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$27.9K₽2.3M
-1.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$30.5K₽2.6M
19.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$129₽10.9K
30.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$4.96₽417
173.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$9.16₽770
209.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$33.83₽2,844
35.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$25.92₽2,178
-33.56%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$5.51₽463
20.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$349₽29.4K
129.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$5,894₽495.4K
55.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$58.4₽4,912
49.49%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$40.14₽3,374
47.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$110₽9,210
26.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$82.8₽6,961
23.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$393₽33.0K
172.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$316₽26.5K
106.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$677₽56.9K
184.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$572₽48.1K
83.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$2,134₽179.4K
93.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$1,398₽117.5K
21.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kholmsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
21
-47.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Kholmsk: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $393 in Kholmsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Kholmsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $205 per month, with Kholmsk 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 64% 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 $2,462 in Medellin and $1,499 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $393 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?
Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Kholmsk?
All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $999 in Kholmsk – a 64% 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 $999 in Kholmsk versus $1,641 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 $999 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 64% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.