Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Makhachkala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Makhachkala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $684 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,163 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,641 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 151% more than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Makhachkala is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$11.61 ₽997

-30.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$34.70 ₽2,978

39.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.56 ₽392

114.25%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.68 ₽230

8.58%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.73 ₽62.7

165.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.32 ₽27.54

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.32 ₽113

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.48 ₽41.40

397.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.17 ₽100

45.30%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.58 ₽135

81.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$8.36 ₽717

18.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.07 ₽521

77.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.82 ₽671

88.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.21 ₽104

238.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.79 ₽154

-12.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.14 ₽183

-0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.96 ₽254

-25.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.81 ₽69.8

153.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.41 ₽35.33

265.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.88 ₽75.5

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.92 ₽250

33.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$3.50 ₽301

312.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$0.48 ₽41.40

229.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.36 ₽30.49

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$2.29 ₽197

-44.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.76 ₽65.4

71.05%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$32.0K ₽2.7M

-13.47%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$28.0K ₽2.4M

27.01%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$53.4 ₽4,584

-16.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.65 ₽399

33.33%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$208 ₽17.9K

281.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$380 ₽32.6K

178.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$286 ₽24.5K

137.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$829 ₽71.2K

142.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$648 ₽55.6K

80.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,494 ₽128.2K

175.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,050 ₽90.1K

62.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$595 ₽51.0K

11.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-39.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $380 in Makhachkala. 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 12% 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 $35.00 in Makhachkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $171 – making Makhachkala 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 Makhachkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 151%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,026 in Makhachkala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $684 in Makhachkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $208 in Makhachkala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Makhachkala, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Makhachkala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Makhachkala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Makhachkala. 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.