Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oktyabr'skiy Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oktyabr'skiy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $996 in Oktyabr'skiy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,575 in Oktyabr'skiy, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $2,154 in Oktyabr'skiy, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Oktyabr'skiy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Oktyabr'skiy are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Oktyabr'skiy 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.1K

$12.59 ₽945

-51.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.0K

$51.7 ₽3,884

-36.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$5.59 ₽419

30.95%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,973

$2.41 ₽181

-31.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,978

$1.23 ₽92.5

-10.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,816

$0.65 ₽48.74

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,174

$1.11 ₽83.3

54.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.4K

$2.61 ₽196

21.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,003

$1.10 ₽82.6

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,709

$0.61 ₽45.49

114.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,969

$1.17 ₽88.2

17.95%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,992

$1.74 ₽130

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.6K

$8.89 ₽668

-51.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$5.16 ₽388

12.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.3K

$8.34 ₽626

7.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,146

$1.54 ₽115

46.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,014

$1.88 ₽141

-40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,273

$2.20 ₽165

-33.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,918

$2.44 ₽183

-43.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,000

$0.67 ₽50.6

65.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,190

$0.51 ₽38.60

127.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,204

$1.74 ₽131

-48.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,117

$0.61 ₽45.48

42.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,476

$2.97 ₽223

-20.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.1K

$5.90 ₽443

84.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,321

$0.87 ₽65.4

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,927

$2.33 ₽175

6.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,836

$0.50 ₽37.19

58.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 146.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,125

$3.53 ₽265

-59.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,885

$0.36 ₽26.74

430.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$3.70 ₽278

106.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,482

$0.71 ₽53.0

36.62%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$49.7K ₽3.7M

-63.57%

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

$26.3K COP 94.8M

$44.1K ₽3.3M

-40.41%

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

$81.3 COP 292.9K

$118 ₽8,847

-30.99%

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

$9.63 COP 34.7K

$6.71 ₽504

43.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 87.8K

$8.27 ₽621

194.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

$35.08 ₽2,634

-25.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$4.14 ₽311

-6.04%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$316 ₽23.7K

-3.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$6,038 ₽453.4K

-2.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.4K

$98.5 ₽7,391

-40.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.0K

$47.41 ₽3,559

-31.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 366.5K

$125 ₽9,372

-18.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$75.1 ₽5,638

44.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$449 ₽33.7K

5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$299 ₽22.5K

23.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$758 ₽56.9K

11.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$511 ₽38.4K

40.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.3M

$1,960 ₽147.2K

46.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$1,493 ₽112.1K

-7.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.33

-12.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Oktyabr'skiy: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $449 in Oktyabr'skiy. 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 $33 in Medellin versus $52 in Oktyabr'skiy. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $184 in Oktyabr'skiy – so Oktyabr'skiy wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Oktyabr'skiy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,493 in Oktyabr'skiy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oktyabr'skiy, 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 $52.0 in Oktyabr'skiy. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Oktyabr'skiy, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Medellin at $1,014. In Oktyabr'skiy it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oktyabr'skiy – 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 Oktyabr'skiy. 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.