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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $936 in Kostanay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,435 in Kostanay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,933 in Kostanay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 83% more than Kostanay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Kostanay is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$5.45 ₸2,484

47.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$28.71 ₸13.1K

68.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$7.19 ₸3,276

35.88%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.13 ₸972

36.62%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.15 ₸522

68.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.83 ₸378

83.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.39 ₸634

122.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.53 ₸1,151

126.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.24 ₸565

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.48 ₸219

397.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.03 ₸469

65.05%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.20 ₸1,002

30.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$10.03 ₸4,568

-0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$5.70 ₸2,599

89.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$8.59 ₸3,913

71.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.58 ₸722

158.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.26 ₸1,032

-30.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.88 ₸854

13.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$2.27 ₸1,034

-2.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.54 ₸246

279.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.62 ₸281

141.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.19 ₸541

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.92 ₸417

26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.41 ₸1,097

61.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$8.05 ₸3,669

79.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.10 ₸500

43.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.30 ₸1,047

23.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.32 ₸144

265.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.94 ₸427

36.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.06 ₸484

97.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$5.85 ₸2,664

47.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.54 ₸246

140.74%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$30.6K ₸14.0M

-9.71%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$29.1K ₸13.3M

21.83%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$75.3 ₸34.3K

133.73%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$10.72 ₸4,883

24.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$15.65 ₸7,128

90.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$46.28 ₸21.1K

-3.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$19.86 ₸9,048

-14.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$4.20 ₸1,913

47.62%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$207 ₸94.3K

283.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$6,436 ₸2.9M

40.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$92.3 ₸42.0K

-7.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$52.7 ₸24.0K

11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$106 ₸48.5K

28.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$89.3 ₸40.7K

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$388 ₸176.9K

172.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$304 ₸138.4K

123.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$580 ₸264.4K

246.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$471 ₸214.8K

147.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,190 ₸541.9K

245.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$910 ₸414.6K

86.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$646 ₸294.5K

2.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.5

-40.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kostanay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $388 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 3% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Kostanay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $200 – 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 83% more than Kostanay, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,404 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Kostanay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $936, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $936 versus $1,716 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.