😐A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $549 in Obninsk, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $895 in Obninsk, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,241 in Obninsk, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 213% more than Obninsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Obninsk is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03COP 25.1K
$7.13₽612
12.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26COP 150.8K
$31.55₽2,708
52.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.77COP 30.5K
$5.60₽480
74.46%
Cappuccino
$2.91COP 9,095
$2.22₽191
31.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94COP 6,074
$1.14₽98.2
70.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52COP 4,754
$0.48₽41.15
216.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09COP 9,663
$2.13₽183
45.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74COP 17.9K
$2.38₽204
141.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,262
$1.06₽90.8
28.30%
White Bread(500g)
$2.39COP 7,460
$0.61₽52.7
291.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,314
$1.30₽112
30.77%
Eggs
$2.87COP 8,967
$1.27₽109
125.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.94COP 31.1K
$7.43₽637
33.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.78COP 33.7K
$4.55₽390
136.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.73COP 46.0K
$8.31₽713
77.26%
Apples(1kg)
$4.09COP 12.8K
$1.43₽122
186.01%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57COP 4,911
$1.65₽141
-4.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.13COP 6,642
$1.71₽147
24.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.21COP 6,917
$2.34₽201
-5.56%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05COP 6,396
$0.54₽46.51
279.63%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50COP 4,700
$0.54₽45.95
177.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19COP 3,718
$0.90₽77.3
32.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16COP 3,619
$0.52₽45.01
123.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.2K
$2.34₽201
66.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.44COP 45.1K
$8.29₽711
74.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58COP 4,948
$1.22₽105
29.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83COP 8,836
$1.75₽150
61.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.17COP 3,650
$0.43₽36.94
172.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.7COP 242.9K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.28COP 4,014
$3.57₽306
-64.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.09COP 6,537
$0.24₽20.70
770.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.62COP 26.9K
$5.67₽487
52.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30COP 4,056
$0.76₽65.3
71.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7KCOP 86.4M
$30.3K₽2.6M
-8.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5KCOP 110.9M
$26.2K₽2.2M
35.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$176COP 550.1K
$101₽8,631
75.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37COP 41.8K
$5.28₽453
153.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89COP 93.4K
$5.88₽504
408.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.76COP 139.8K
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06COP 53.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.20COP 19.4K
$7.51₽645
-17.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$793COP 2.5M
$468₽40.2K
69.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,019COP 28.2M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6COP 267.5K
$82.6₽7,092
3.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5COP 182.7K
$46.26₽3,970
26.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$136COP 425.9K
$79.6₽6,834
71.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103COP 322.2K
$94.4₽8,098
9.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,060COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$680COP 2.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,012COP 6.3M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,169COP 3.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,111COP 12.8M
$3,177₽272.6K
29.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,701COP 5.3M
$2,457₽210.9K
-30.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Obninsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$665COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
29.5
-62.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026
Last update for Obninsk: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Obninsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $171 – making Obninsk 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 Obninsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Obninsk cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 213%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $824 in Obninsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Obninsk?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Obninsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Obninsk?
Groceries cost about 77% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Obninsk?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Obninsk, where all-in costs run around $549, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Obninsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Obninsk more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Obninsk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Obninsk?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Obninsk. 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.