Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Perm Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Perm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $914 in Perm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,394 in Perm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,875 in Perm, rent included.

Medellin costs about 84% more than Perm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Perm is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.34 ₽705

-3.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$25.53 ₽2,157

87.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.02 ₽508

64.29%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.22 ₽187

40.99%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.81 ₽68.2

135.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.40 ₽33.78

277.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.15 ₽96.9

171.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.52 ₽129

278.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.05 ₽88.6

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.89 ₽75.0

179.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.19 ₽101

48.74%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.23 ₽104

140.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.84 ₽662

28.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.09 ₽430

98.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.69 ₽988

22.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.15 ₽181

92.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.21 ₽187

-27.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.16 ₽182

4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.41 ₽204

-6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.54 ₽45.51

277.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.42 ₽35.11

266.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.81 ₽68.7

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.85 ₽71.6

54.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.58 ₽218

51.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.68 ₽818

44.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.86 ₽72.5

102.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.66 ₽140

72.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.53 ₽45.01

130.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$23.68 ₽2,001

239.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.82 ₽154

-28.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.45 ₽38.21

386.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$4.03 ₽341

116.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.84 ₽71.1

63.10%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$41.4K ₽3.5M

-32.81%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$39.4K ₽3.3M

-9.18%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$125 ₽10.6K

41.55%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$5.47 ₽462

153.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$8.36 ₽706

255.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$27.97 ₽2,363

60.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$13.44 ₽1,136

27.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.19 ₽692

-18.80%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$236 ₽19.9K

244.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,298 ₽363.1K

113.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$53.4 ₽4,513

67.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$34.18 ₽2,888

72.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$62.1 ₽5,243

122.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$72.3 ₽6,107

41.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$471 ₽39.8K

125.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$270 ₽22.8K

145.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$598 ₽50.6K

215.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$478 ₽40.4K

114.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,448 ₽206.8K

70.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,585 ₽133.9K

5.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$971 ₽82.0K

-30.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.33

-53.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Perm: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $471 in Perm. 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 43% higher in Perm, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Perm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $201 – making Perm 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 Perm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 84%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,371 in Perm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perm, 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 $26.00 in Perm. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $914 in Perm. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perm, where all-in costs run around $914, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Perm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perm – 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 Perm. 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.