Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Penza Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Penza

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $748 in Penza, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,153 in Penza, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,559 in Penza, rent included.

Medellin costs about 129% more than Penza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Penza is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$8.20 ₽704

-2.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$35.12 ₽3,014

37.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.51 ₽644

30.09%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.44 ₽295

-15.41%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.00 ₽86.1

94.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.62 ₽52.9

145.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.18 ₽187

41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.57 ₽220

123.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.99 ₽85.3

37.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.48 ₽41.24

397.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.48 ₽127

93.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$12.96 ₽1,112

-23.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$3.83 ₽329

181.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.70 ₽146

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.47 ₽126

44.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.83 ₽71.2

39.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.39 ₽205

63.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$8.87 ₽761

62.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$0.95 ₽81.1

66.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.35 ₽202

20.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.36 ₽30.98

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$2.06 ₽177

-37.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.22 ₽18.84

850.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$9.04 ₽775

-4.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.82 ₽70.2

58.54%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$35.6K ₽3.1M

-22.41%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$40.6K ₽3.5M

-12.61%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$80.7 ₽6,925

118.21%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$6.32 ₽542

111.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$10.26 ₽880

191.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$54.0 ₽4,635

-17.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.51 ₽387

37.47%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$348 ₽29.9K

127.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$94.4 ₽8,102

-9.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$56.1 ₽4,816

4.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$55.4 ₽4,752

86.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$350 ₽30.1K

202.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$212 ₽18.2K

220.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$546 ₽46.9K

268.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$358 ₽30.7K

226.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,181 ₽187.2K

88.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,042 ₽89.4K

63.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$546 ₽46.8K

21.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-54.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Penza: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $350 in Penza. 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 22% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Penza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $132 – making Penza 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 Penza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 129%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,122 in Penza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penza, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Penza. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 130% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Penza, where all-in costs run around $748, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Penza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Penza – 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 Penza. 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.