😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $995 in Kislovodsk.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,569 in Kislovodsk.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,142 in Kislovodsk.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 65% more expensive than in Kislovodsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Kislovodsk is 28% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$10.59₽890
-24.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$36.54₽3,071
32.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$6.63₽557
42.08%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$2.59₽218
13.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$1.10₽92.5
69.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.55₽46.46
165.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.73₽145
85.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$3.21₽270
77.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$1.12₽94.3
28.57%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$0.76₽63.9
215.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$1.29₽109
31.78%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$1.42₽120
103.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$11.02₽927
-8.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$4.96₽417
101.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
$10.35₽870
37.20%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$1.68₽141
136.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$2.00₽168
-21.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$1.84₽155
16.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$2.67₽224
-13.86%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$0.74₽62.6
170.27%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$0.57₽48.01
164.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$1.47₽123
-18.37%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.80₽66.9
60.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$2.84₽238
35.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$7.32₽615
91.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$0.98₽82.0
74.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$2.03₽171
34.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.53₽44.27
135.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
$20.99₽1,764
271.13%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$2.60₽219
-49.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.30₽24.82
623.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$5.38₽452
54.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$0.78₽66.0
74.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$27.9K₽2.3M
-1.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$28.7K₽2.4M
27.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$99.3₽8,343
69.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$6.44₽541
110.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$7.43₽625
281.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$34.62₽2,910
32.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$23.33₽1,961
-26.19%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$5.43₽457
22.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$316₽26.5K
154.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$6,021₽506.1K
52.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$70.9₽5,958
23.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$48.63₽4,087
22.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$127₽10.7K
9.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$96.7₽8,125
5.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$519₽43.6K
106.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$307₽25.8K
112.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$770₽64.7K
149.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$526₽44.2K
99.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$2,222₽186.8K
85.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$1,454₽122.2K
16.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kislovodsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$725₽61.0K
-9.71%
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 Kislovodsk: September 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $519 in Kislovodsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kislovodsk pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $37.00 in Kislovodsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $202 per month, with Kislovodsk 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 Kislovodsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kislovodsk cheaper than Medellin?
Kislovodsk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Kislovodsk?
On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Kislovodsk. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Kislovodsk?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $519 in Kislovodsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Kislovodsk?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Kislovodsk?
Dining out is cheaper in Kislovodsk – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Kislovodsk?
At $995 in Kislovodsk versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kislovodsk but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kislovodsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Kislovodsk more family-friendly?
For families, Kislovodsk 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 safer, Medellin or Kislovodsk?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Kislovodsk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kislovodsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.