Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novy Urengoy Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novy Urengoy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $999 in Novy Urengoy, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,549 in Novy Urengoy, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,100 in Novy Urengoy, rent included.

Medellin costs about 69% more than Novy Urengoy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Novy Urengoy is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$9.91 ₽830

-20.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$36.67 ₽3,071

21.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.08 ₽509

52.80%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.68 ₽225

8.21%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.07 ₽89.8

69.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.57 ₽47.38

171.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.83 ₽154

77.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.94 ₽246

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.13 ₽94.5

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.71 ₽59.9

245.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.39 ₽116

8.63%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.56 ₽131

78.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$10.99 ₽920

-17.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$5.19 ₽434

105.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$9.76 ₽817

49.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.65 ₽138

140.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.83 ₽154

-24.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.85 ₽155

24.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.80 ₽234

-27.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.86 ₽71.6

143.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.64 ₽54.0

154.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.30 ₽109

-16.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.65 ₽54.1

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.96 ₽248

36.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.45 ₽624

80.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$0.98 ₽81.7

63.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.94 ₽162

54.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.46 ₽38.65

156.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$22.09 ₽1,849

261.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.18 ₽182

-26.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.41 ₽34.29

419.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$5.58 ₽467

52.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.86 ₽72.0

56.98%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$30.6K ₽2.6M

-7.48%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$30.4K ₽2.5M

17.55%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$115 ₽9,615

31.85%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$6.22 ₽521

110.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$8.22 ₽688

292.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$35.96 ₽3,011

28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.47 ₽458

17.55%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$301 ₽25.2K

177.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$7,007 ₽586.8K

26.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$61.4 ₽5,145

45.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$45.15 ₽3,781

22.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$107 ₽8,982

27.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$102 ₽8,556

7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$434 ₽36.3K

119.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$313 ₽26.2K

113.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$791 ₽66.3K

155.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$549 ₽46.0K

109.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,170 ₽181.7K

70.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,427 ₽119.5K

11.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

21.33

-51.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Novy Urengoy: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $434 in Novy Urengoy. 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Novy Urengoy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $200 – making Novy Urengoy 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 Novy Urengoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 69%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,498 in Novy Urengoy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novy Urengoy, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $37.00 in Novy Urengoy. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $999 in Novy Urengoy. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Novy Urengoy, where all-in costs run around $999, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Novy Urengoy it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Novy Urengoy – 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 Novy Urengoy. 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.