Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kostanay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kostanay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Kostanay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,384 in Kostanay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,813 in Kostanay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 8% more than Kostanay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Kostanay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kostanay 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.62 ₸3,583

-19.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.91 ₸11.7K

30.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.33 ₸2,973

15.96%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.30 ₸1,082

-25.22%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.03 ₸483

1.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.80 ₸377

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.72 ₸810

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.26 ₸1,531

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.95 ₸448

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.44 ₸206

195.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.16 ₸545

20.69%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.78 ₸835

21.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.70 ₸3,618

-42.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.26 ₸2,473

11.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.36 ₸3,930

3.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.30 ₸611

75.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.91 ₸899

-41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.30 ₸612

17.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.29 ₸607

4.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.58 ₸275

94.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.24 ₸113

370.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.96 ₸451

-11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.87 ₸408

4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.21 ₸1,037

5.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.84 ₸3,683

57.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.01 ₸474

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.72 ₸1,278

-8.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.28 ₸131

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.02 ₸479

39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.06 ₸497

81.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.76 ₸2,706

32.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.49 ₸231

102.04%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$29.7K ₸14.0M

-39.26%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.1K ₸12.3M

1.87%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$72.6 ₸34.1K

11.26%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.65 ₸4,537

3.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.88 ₸5,112

122.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$39.74 ₸18.7K

-36.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.31 ₸8,134

10.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.71 ₸1,743

7.28%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$186 ₸87.3K

64.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,680 ₸2.7M

6.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$105 ₸49.2K

-44.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$56.3 ₸26.5K

-42.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$114 ₸53.6K

-11.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$102 ₸48.1K

5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$385 ₸180.8K

23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$330 ₸155.2K

13.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$529 ₸248.8K

59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$425 ₸199.7K

71.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,137 ₸534.4K

182.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$899 ₸422.8K

52.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$626 ₸294.4K

-1.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

18.5

-27.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kostanay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $385 in Kostanay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Kostanay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Kostanay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $172 – making Kostanay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kostanay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 8% more than Kostanay, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,432 in Kostanay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kostanay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Kostanay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostanay, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Kostanay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kostanay costs $954 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kostanay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.