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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $958 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,485 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,011 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 8% more than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Makhachkala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Makhachkala 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$15.57 ₽1,223

-60.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$39.54 ₽3,107

-17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.20 ₽409

41.15%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.30 ₽259

-47.88%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.80 ₽62.6

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.35 ₽27.76

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.42 ₽112

19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.50 ₽196

26.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.50 ₽118

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.65 ₽51.2

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.43 ₽112

-2.10%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.37 ₽108

57.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.09 ₽243

42.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.73 ₽372

24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.00 ₽393

72.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.81 ₽142

25.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.68 ₽132

-33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.75 ₽216

-44.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.82 ₽143

-25.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.83 ₽65.2

36.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.45 ₽35.16

151.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.43 ₽191

-65.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.58 ₽45.63

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.14 ₽247

-25.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.82 ₽300

223.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.04 ₽81.4

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.95 ₽153

27.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.40 ₽31.36

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.24 ₽176

-36.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.18 ₽14.02

966.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.51 ₽511

17.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.71 ₽55.8

39.44%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$36.0K ₽2.8M

-49.98%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.0K ₽2.4M

-13.98%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$54.2 ₽4,257

49.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$6.31 ₽496

57.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$9.63 ₽757

151.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$46.00 ₽3,613

-45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.09 ₽400

-21.81%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$164 ₽12.9K

85.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,965 ₽547.2K

-13.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$104 ₽8,179

-44.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$45.22 ₽3,552

-28.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$104 ₽8,209

-3.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$144 ₽11.3K

-25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$497 ₽39.0K

-4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$298 ₽23.4K

26.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$720 ₽56.6K

17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$402 ₽31.6K

81.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,666 ₽130.9K

92.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,210 ₽95.1K

13.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$830 ₽65.2K

-25.67%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $497 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 35% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Makhachkala. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $157 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 8%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,437 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $958 in Makhachkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $164 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 $958, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.