Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Murmansk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Murmansk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,028 in Murmansk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,625 in Murmansk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,222 in Murmansk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 64% more than Murmansk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Murmansk is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.77 ₽910

-25.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$35.19 ₽2,973

36.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.05 ₽511

63.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.72 ₽230

15.07%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.10 ₽92.7

73.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.60 ₽51.0

151.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.88 ₽159

65.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.12 ₽264

84.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.16 ₽97.6

24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.73 ₽61.8

241.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.35 ₽114

31.11%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.47 ₽124

101.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.88 ₽919

-7.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.04 ₽426

100.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.02 ₽1,015

18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.57 ₽132

163.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.94 ₽164

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.82 ₽154

23.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.42 ₽204

-7.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.81 ₽68.4

151.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.51 ₽43.06

201.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.41 ₽119

-17.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.66 ₽55.6

98.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.70 ₽228

44.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.68 ₽564

109.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.98 ₽82.9

77.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.24 ₽189

28.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.54 ₽45.38

125.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$30.70 ₽2,593

162.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.29 ₽194

-42.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.37 ₽31.15

491.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.05 ₽511

43.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.81 ₽68.1

69.14%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.7K ₽2.9M

-19.88%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$32.5K ₽2.7M

10.10%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$125 ₽10.6K

41.95%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$6.57 ₽555

111.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$8.84 ₽747

236.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$30.81 ₽2,604

45.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$26.09 ₽2,204

-34.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.29 ₽532

5.72%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$289 ₽24.4K

181.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$6,465 ₽546.3K

42.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$66.2 ₽5,593

35.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$49.89 ₽4,215

18.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$119 ₽10.1K

16.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$105 ₽8,841

-2.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$429 ₽36.2K

147.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$269 ₽22.8K

146.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$889 ₽75.1K

112.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$629 ₽53.2K

63.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,259 ₽190.9K

85.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,412 ₽119.3K

18.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-47.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Murmansk: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $429 in Murmansk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Murmansk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $203 – making Murmansk 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 Murmansk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 64%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,542 in Murmansk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Murmansk, 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 $35.00 in Murmansk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,028 in Murmansk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Murmansk, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Murmansk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Murmansk. 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.