Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Korolyov Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Korolyov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,030 in Korolyov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,441 in Korolyov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,852 in Korolyov.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 2% less than in Korolyov, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Korolyov 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.93 ₽659

-32.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$20.26 ₽1,495

62.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.31 ₽392

33.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.99 ₽147

-14.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.91 ₽66.8

20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.36 ₽26.88

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.12 ₽304

-59.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.86 ₽137

65.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.13 ₽83.6

-3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.45 ₽32.95

180.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.30 ₽95.9

6.15%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.60 ₽118

36.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.07 ₽891

-63.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.21 ₽384

8.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.83 ₽578

13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.88 ₽139

24.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.62 ₽119

-34.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.27 ₽168

-33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.99 ₽295

-65.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.40 ₽29.46

187.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.81 ₽59.7

43.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.63 ₽120

-45.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.56 ₽41.38

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.49 ₽183

-8.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$11.17 ₽824

-4.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.08 ₽80.0

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.48 ₽109

66.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.74 ₽54.6

16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$22.25 ₽1,642

86.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.48 ₽183

-40.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.44 ₽32.82

345.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.21 ₽606

-5.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.75 ₽55.3

26.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$38.9K ₽2.9M

-53.33%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.1K ₽1.5M

31.80%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$126 ₽9,328

-34.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.63 ₽415

68.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$8.10 ₽598

199.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$32.27 ₽2,381

-19.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$15.22 ₽1,123

24.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.54 ₽409

-29.06%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$712 ₽52.5K

-56.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.6K ₽1.1M

-59.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$57.3 ₽4,228

2.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.55 ₽1,885

26.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$38.45 ₽2,837

166.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$56.8 ₽4,193

90.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$466 ₽34.4K

2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$368 ₽27.1K

3.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$702 ₽51.8K

19.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$487 ₽36.0K

48.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,766 ₽204.1K

0.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,540 ₽187.4K

-52.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,114 ₽82.2K

-54.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Korolyov: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $466 in Korolyov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Korolyov pays 118% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Korolyov. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $208, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Korolyov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Korolyov. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Korolyov earns 118% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $466 in Korolyov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 86% less than in Korolyov. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $712 in Korolyov. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,030 in Korolyov, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Korolyov. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Korolyov are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Korolyov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.