Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novorossiysk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novorossiysk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $898 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,315 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,733 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 83% more than Novorossiysk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Novorossiysk is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.79 ₽991

-31.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$35.53 ₽2,986

35.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.38 ₽452

75.09%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.76 ₽232

6.52%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.08 ₽90.6

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.36 ₽30.31

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.18 ₽98.8

172.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.89 ₽243

97.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.09 ₽91.3

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.62 ₽51.9

287.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.14 ₽95.9

49.12%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$0.95 ₽80.2

204.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.18 ₽687

22.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.59 ₽386

117.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.64 ₽810

47.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$0.84 ₽70.3

373.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.53 ₽128

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.58 ₽133

36.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.87 ₽157

22.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.59 ₽49.92

238.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.47 ₽39.43

221.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.50 ₽42.29

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.46 ₽39.06

178.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.62 ₽220

46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$5.88 ₽494

138.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$0.90 ₽75.6

90.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.54 ₽130

77.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.58 ₽48.65

115.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$18.82 ₽1,582

313.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.13 ₽95.0

15.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.28 ₽23.45

675.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$2.75 ₽231

201.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.79 ₽66.6

72.15%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.3K ₽1.8M

29.28%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$26.9K ₽2.3M

35.84%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$115 ₽9,682

46.46%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$4.80 ₽403

182.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$8.74 ₽735

224.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$25.27 ₽2,124

80.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$13.51 ₽1,135

27.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.67 ₽392

42.40%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$567 ₽47.6K

41.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$3,896 ₽327.4K

135.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$56.3 ₽4,729

55.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$24.81 ₽2,085

139.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$57.6 ₽4,839

141.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$69.9 ₽5,877

45.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$385 ₽32.4K

178.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$290 ₽24.4K

125.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$487 ₽40.9K

295.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$376 ₽31.6K

178.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,267 ₽190.5K

81.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,595 ₽134.0K

6.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,004 ₽84.4K

-34.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

21.33

-48.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Novorossiysk: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $385 in Novorossiysk. 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 53% higher in Novorossiysk, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Novorossiysk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $160 – making Novorossiysk 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 Novorossiysk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 83%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,346 in Novorossiysk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novorossiysk, 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 $36.00 in Novorossiysk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $898 in Novorossiysk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Novorossiysk, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Novorossiysk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Novorossiysk – 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 Novorossiysk. 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.