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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $800 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,183 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,565 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Novorossiysk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Novorossiysk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Novorossiysk 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.42 ₽583

-16.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$19.17 ₽1,506

70.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.96 ₽390

47.98%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.48 ₽195

-30.65%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.93 ₽73.4

12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.37 ₽28.75

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.25 ₽98.6

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.24 ₽97.1

155.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.99 ₽77.5

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.61 ₽48.16

113.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.43 ₽113

-2.10%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.44 ₽113

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.99 ₽628

-45.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.79 ₽376

22.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.23 ₽568

19.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.28 ₽101

78.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.62 ₽128

-31.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.46 ₽115

4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.98 ₽156

-31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.73 ₽57.5

54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.53 ₽41.33

113.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.06 ₽83.1

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 ₽41.64

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.49 ₽196

-6.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.68 ₽524

85.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.93 ₽72.9

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.62 ₽127

53.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.63 ₽49.19

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$9.90 ₽778

309.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.88 ₽147

-24.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.24 ₽18.92

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.44 ₽506

18.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.76 ₽59.8

30.26%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.9K ₽1.6M

-9.53%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.9K ₽2.0M

6.96%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$96.8 ₽7,603

-16.50%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$5.60 ₽440

77.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$7.77 ₽610

211.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$37.73 ₽2,964

-33.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$15.43 ₽1,212

24.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.01 ₽394

-20.56%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$292 ₽22.9K

4.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,880 ₽383.4K

24.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$35.00 ₽2,749

66.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$44.02 ₽3,458

-26.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$57.9 ₽4,545

74.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$74.8 ₽5,876

44.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$388 ₽30.5K

22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$250 ₽19.6K

50.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$772 ₽60.7K

9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$385 ₽30.2K

89.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,620 ₽205.8K

22.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,989 ₽156.3K

-31.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,181 ₽92.8K

-47.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Novorossiysk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $388 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 92% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Novorossiysk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $164 – 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 29%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,201 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $800 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 $800, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.