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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $967 in Kostanay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,401 in Kostanay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,836 in Kostanay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Kostanay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Kostanay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Kostanay 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.71 ₸3,780

-22.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$25.27 ₸12.4K

30.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.48 ₸3,176

9.41%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.29 ₸1,121

-25.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.96 ₸469

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.80 ₸393

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.79 ₸879

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.34 ₸1,638

-8.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.98 ₸481

11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.44 ₸216

186.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.16 ₸568

18.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.78 ₸873

23.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.12 ₸3,978

-45.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.26 ₸2,575

7.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.00 ₸3,922

11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.25 ₸614

87.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.00 ₸979

-47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.30 ₸636

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.31 ₸641

5.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.54 ₸265

112.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.24 ₸118

383.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.94 ₸458

-5.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.92 ₸450

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.20 ₸1,079

3.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.80 ₸3,822

36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.97 ₸473

23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.69 ₸1,316

-8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.30 ₸148

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.00 ₸490

47.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.07 ₸527

83.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.71 ₸2,797

35.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.49 ₸241

93.88%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$28.9K ₸14.2M

-37.27%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.9K ₸13.2M

-1.48%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$72.4 ₸35.5K

13.59%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.79 ₸4,797

-2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$11.18 ₸5,479

116.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$39.58 ₸19.4K

-34.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$17.76 ₸8,704

6.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.79 ₸1,859

3.69%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$183 ₸89.7K

69.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,805 ₸2.8M

2.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$105 ₸51.3K

-44.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$56.3 ₸27.6K

-42.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$116 ₸56.8K

-11.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$101 ₸49.3K

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$381 ₸186.5K

25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$328 ₸160.9K

15.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$529 ₸259.3K

58.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$427 ₸209.4K

69.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,102 ₸540.3K

153.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$864 ₸423.6K

40.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$605 ₸296.4K

-15.40%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kostanay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $381 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 18% 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: $188 vs $173 – 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 5% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,451 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 9% 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 $967, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $967 versus $1,013 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.