Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Petropavl Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Petropavl

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $686 in Petropavl, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,117 in Petropavl, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,548 in Petropavl, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Petropavl, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Petropavl are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Petropavl 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.66 ₸5,695

-48.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$23.57 ₸11.5K

41.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.75 ₸3,295

7.11%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.11 ₸1,031

-22.75%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.95 ₸466

14.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.56 ₸272

30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.34 ₸654

29.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.43 ₸1,186

32.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.74 ₸360

41.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.43 ₸210

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.84 ₸899

-28.26%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.67 ₸817

35.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.32 ₸4,551

-53.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.31 ₸2,595

10.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.09 ₸3,953

6.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.31 ₸638

71.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.99 ₸974

-46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.82 ₸891

-16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.94 ₸948

-26.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.48 ₸233

143.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.50 ₸246

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.61 ₸297

45.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.81 ₸394

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.12 ₸1,037

6.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.99 ₸4,881

10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.84 ₸409

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.39 ₸680

71.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.23 ₸112

265.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.61 ₸296

131.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.39 ₸189

387.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.58 ₸2,239

69.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.41 ₸201

146.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.3K ₸9.4M

-8.70%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.7K ₸11.6M

11.61%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$50.7 ₸24.8K

64.92%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.68 ₸4,240

8.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$12.89 ₸6,296

87.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$19.20 ₸9,380

31.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.98 ₸1,941

3.02%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$208 ₸101.8K

49.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,802 ₸2.3M

24.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$29.79 ₸14.6K

94.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$35.67 ₸17.4K

-8.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$39.68 ₸19.4K

151.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$76.8 ₸37.5K

41.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$290 ₸141.7K

66.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$157 ₸76.4K

142.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$516 ₸252.1K

62.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$397 ₸194.0K

82.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$312 ₸152.1K

73.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

18.39

-26.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Petropavl: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $290 in Petropavl. 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 74% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Petropavl. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $182 – making Petropavl 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 Petropavl: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,028 in Petropavl. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Petropavl, 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 $24.00 in Petropavl. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petropavl, where all-in costs run around $686, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Petropavl it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Petropavl – 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 Petropavl. 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.