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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $680 in Petropavl, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,135 in Petropavl, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,590 in Petropavl, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Petropavl, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Petropavl are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Petropavl 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$11.56 ₸5,482

-48.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$23.34 ₸11.1K

41.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.67 ₸3,164

11.39%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.18 ₸1,033

-24.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.97 ₸460

13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.53 ₸250

47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.41 ₸667

21.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.37 ₸1,124

34.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.78 ₸368

41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.43 ₸205

193.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.75 ₸828

-21.14%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.59 ₸756

37.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.32 ₸4,419

-51.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.51 ₸2,613

5.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.15 ₸3,863

10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.30 ₸617

78.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.00 ₸949

-47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.81 ₸857

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.89 ₸896

-28.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.49 ₸231

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.51 ₸242

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.61 ₸288

47.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.81 ₸386

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.07 ₸983

7.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.39 ₸3,506

64.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.85 ₸402

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.35 ₸640

83.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.21 ₸99.4

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.61 ₸288

132.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.42 ₸197

364.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.82 ₸2,284

63.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.41 ₸196

141.46%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.4K ₸9.2M

-9.17%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.8K ₸11.3M

12.36%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$50.5 ₸23.9K

64.54%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.66 ₸4,105

12.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$12.69 ₸6,014

85.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$19.93 ₸9,447

26.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.98 ₸1,885

-0.75%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$215 ₸102.0K

46.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,930 ₸2.3M

21.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$29.67 ₸14.1K

102.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$34.76 ₸16.5K

-8.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$39.34 ₸18.7K

158.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$77.2 ₸36.6K

39.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$294 ₸139.5K

61.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$159 ₸75.2K

135.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$518 ₸245.5K

63.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$394 ₸186.7K

82.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$827 ₸392.0K

294.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$932 ₸441.8K

54.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$285 ₸135.2K

118.93%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Petropavl: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $294 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 119% 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 $23.00 in Petropavl. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $177 – 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 Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,019 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 $23.00 in Petropavl. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $680, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.