Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novokuznetsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novokuznetsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,015 in Novokuznetsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,702 in Novokuznetsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,389 in Novokuznetsk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Novokuznetsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Novokuznetsk is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.68 ₽818

-17.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$47.00 ₽3,971

1.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.49 ₽548

52.39%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.49 ₽211

25.70%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.09 ₽92.0

75.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.50 ₽41.92

202.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.15 ₽97.2

171.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.40 ₽202

139.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.15 ₽96.9

25.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.72 ₽61.0

245.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.39 ₽118

27.34%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.56 ₽132

89.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.58 ₽894

-4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.01 ₽423

102.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.51 ₽888

36.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.04 ₽173

102.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.68 ₽142

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.14 ₽181

5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.78 ₽319

-40.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.86 ₽72.7

137.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.57 ₽48.47

170.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.89 ₽75.5

31.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.78 ₽65.5

67.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.14 ₽265

24.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.84 ₽494

139.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.33 ₽112

30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.02 ₽255

-4.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.55 ₽46.25

121.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$29.47 ₽2,490

173.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.82 ₽154

-28.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.60 ₽50.9

265.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$8.26 ₽698

5.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.83 ₽70.3

65.06%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$26.0K ₽2.2M

7.20%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.8K ₽2.3M

28.86%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$142 ₽12.0K

24.75%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$5.87 ₽496

136.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$7.04 ₽595

322.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$50.2 ₽4,239

-10.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$29.46 ₽2,489

-41.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.89 ₽497

12.90%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$692 ₽58.5K

17.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$16.8K ₽1.4M

-45.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$64.3 ₽5,435

39.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$51.4 ₽4,345

14.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$95.8 ₽8,093

44.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$95.7 ₽8,085

6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$448 ₽37.9K

136.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$301 ₽25.4K

120.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$949 ₽80.2K

99.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$669 ₽56.6K

53.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,151 ₽181.7K

94.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,466 ₽123.8K

14.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$553 ₽46.7K

22.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.67

-53.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Novokuznetsk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $448 in Novokuznetsk. 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 23% 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 $47.00 in Novokuznetsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $208 – making Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, 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 $1,523 in Novokuznetsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novokuznetsk, 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 $47.00 in Novokuznetsk. 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 $1,015 in Novokuznetsk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Novokuznetsk, where all-in costs run around $1,015, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Novokuznetsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Novokuznetsk – 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 Novokuznetsk. 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.