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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $809 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,191 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,572 in Novorossiysk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Novorossiysk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Novorossiysk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Novorossiysk 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.60 ₽555

-21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$19.07 ₽1,392

72.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.02 ₽366

41.24%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.56 ₽187

-33.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.91 ₽66.4

20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.40 ₽29.09

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.30 ₽95.1

29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.29 ₽94.2

137.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.02 ₽74.3

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.62 ₽45.00

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.38 ₽101

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.50 ₽109

46.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.27 ₽604

-46.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.90 ₽358

14.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.41 ₽541

19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.22 ₽88.9

91.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.65 ₽120

-35.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.45 ₽106

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.05 ₽150

-32.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.79 ₽57.6

45.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.57 ₽41.28

103.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.09 ₽79.6

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.54 ₽39.08

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.51 ₽183

-9.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.05 ₽514

50.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.91 ₽66.1

31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.55 ₽113

59.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.63 ₽45.83

36.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$9.67 ₽705

328.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.94 ₽141

-24.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ₽16.00

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.35 ₽463

21.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.78 ₽57.1

21.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.7K ₽1.4M

-7.74%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$25.5K ₽1.9M

3.90%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$96.7 ₽7,057

-14.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.32 ₽389

78.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$7.55 ₽551

220.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$37.92 ₽2,768

-31.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$15.48 ₽1,130

22.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.22 ₽381

-24.71%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$289 ₽21.1K

7.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,948 ₽361.1K

20.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$36.25 ₽2,646

61.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$44.74 ₽3,266

-27.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$56.0 ₽4,088

83.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$76.6 ₽5,594

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$374 ₽27.3K

27.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$256 ₽18.7K

47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$748 ₽54.6K

12.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$379 ₽27.6K

91.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,786 ₽203.3K

0.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,087 ₽152.3K

-41.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,238 ₽90.4K

-58.66%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Novorossiysk: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $374 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 142% 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: $188 vs $167 – 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 25%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,214 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $809 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 $809, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.