Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kyiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kyiv

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $990 in Kyiv.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,494 in Kyiv.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,998 in Kyiv.

Living in Medellin is roughly 2% more expensive than Kyiv, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kyiv 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.3K
$8.58 β‚΄380
-30.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 116.9K
$31.03 β‚΄1,376
5.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.2K
$6.14 β‚΄272
15.47%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,093
$1.56 β‚΄69.3
9.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,910
$0.68 β‚΄30.10
61.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,771
$0.42 β‚΄18.54
85.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,976
$1.08 β‚΄47.76
55.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 10.9K
$1.92 β‚΄85.0
59.90%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,892
$1.24 β‚΄55.0
-12.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,492
$0.83 β‚΄36.75
51.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,905
$1.83 β‚΄81.1
-24.59%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,799
$2.05 β‚΄90.7
6.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$9.87 β‚΄438
-55.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.0K
$4.34 β‚΄192
29.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.6K
$7.91 β‚΄351
12.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,319
$1.03 β‚΄45.48
127.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,764
$1.56 β‚΄69.0
-32.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,355
$1.79 β‚΄79.6
-16.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,906
$2.27 β‚΄100
-39.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,097
$0.86 β‚΄38.22
33.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,141
$0.56 β‚΄24.83
107.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,170
$1.43 β‚΄63.4
-37.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,986
$0.57 β‚΄25.36
47.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,116
$2.98 β‚΄132
-23.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 37.9K
$5.81 β‚΄258
83.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,268
$0.83 β‚΄36.94
44.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,793
$1.57 β‚΄69.5
57.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,045
$0.16 β‚΄7.22
437.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.3K
$9.60 β‚΄426
331.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,245
$2.00 β‚΄88.8
-26.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 6,984
$0.35 β‚΄15.52
460.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.5K
$4.36 β‚΄193
77.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,397
$1.42 β‚΄62.9
-33.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.5M
$30.7K β‚΄1.4M
-40.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.2M
$24.7K β‚΄1.1M
7.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 292.7K
$112 β‚΄4,946
-26.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.8K
$5.59 β‚΄248
69.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.2K
$7.16 β‚΄317
238.41%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.1K
$37.24 β‚΄1,652
-30.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.6K
$16.34 β‚΄725
16.28%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$4.80 β‚΄213
-18.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$389 β‚΄17.3K
-20.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.2M
$7,847 β‚΄348.0K
-23.98%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 208.7K
$68.6 β‚΄3,042
-14.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.1K
$36.29 β‚΄1,609
-10.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 365.1K
$103 β‚΄4,565
-0.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 385.8K
$112 β‚΄4,965
-3.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$599 β‚΄26.5K
-20.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.3M
$357 β‚΄15.8K
6.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$1,293 β‚΄57.3K
-35.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$617 β‚΄27.4K
17.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 9.9M
$2,609 β‚΄115.7K
6.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
$1,119 β‚΄49.6K
8.24%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kyiv
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$770 β‚΄34.2K
-33.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
19.34
-30.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kyiv: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $599 in Kyiv. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kyiv pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $31.00 in Kyiv for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $179 per month, with Kyiv 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 Kyiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kyiv cheaper than Medellin?
Kyiv is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Kyiv?
On paper, Kyiv earns 51% less. 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 Kyiv?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $599 in Kyiv. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Kyiv?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Kyiv?
Dining out is cheaper in Kyiv – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Kyiv?
At $990 in Kyiv versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kyiv but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kyiv the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Kyiv more family-friendly?
For families, Kyiv 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kyiv gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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