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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $966 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,476 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,987 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Makhachkala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Makhachkala 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$15.62 ₽1,188

-60.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$38.69 ₽2,943

-14.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$5.19 ₽395

41.04%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$3.24 ₽246

-48.77%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.84 ₽63.6

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.35 ₽26.81

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$1.37 ₽104

24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$2.57 ₽195

23.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.51 ₽115

-26.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$0.65 ₽49.55

101.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$1.38 ₽105

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.38 ₽105

60.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$2.99 ₽227

45.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$4.81 ₽366

20.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$5.05 ₽384

77.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$1.82 ₽138

24.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.77 ₽134

-37.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$2.80 ₽213

-47.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.91 ₽145

-28.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$0.82 ₽62.2

35.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$0.49 ₽36.98

136.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$2.48 ₽189

-64.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.60 ₽45.39

45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$3.23 ₽245

-27.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$8.61 ₽655

26.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.00 ₽76.3

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$1.86 ₽142

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.42 ₽32.02

88.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$2.23 ₽170

-36.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.22 ₽16.69

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.50 ₽494

17.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$0.71 ₽53.9

36.62%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$35.5K ₽2.7M

-49.01%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$30.0K ₽2.3M

-12.22%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$54.3 ₽4,130

49.74%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$6.32 ₽481

52.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$9.94 ₽756

145.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$47.60 ₽3,620

-45.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$5.02 ₽382

-22.51%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$169 ₽12.9K

79.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$6,894 ₽524.3K

-14.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$103 ₽7,818

-42.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$44.15 ₽3,358

-26.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$104 ₽7,877

-1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$145 ₽11.1K

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$498 ₽37.9K

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$304 ₽23.1K

21.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$700 ₽53.2K

21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$411 ₽31.3K

74.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$1,683 ₽128.0K

70.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$1,217 ₽92.6K

13.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$621 ₽47.3K

-12.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.33

18.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $498 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 15% higher in Makhachkala, 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 in Medellin versus $39 in Makhachkala. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $168 in Makhachkala – so Makhachkala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,448 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 $1,014 in Medellin and $966 in Makhachkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Medellin and $169 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 $966, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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.