😐A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $864 in Polevskoy, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,369 in Polevskoy, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,873 in Polevskoy, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 90% more than Polevskoy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Polevskoy is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 25.1K
$8.26₽711
-2.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 150.7K
$31.97₽2,753
51.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.4K
$5.11₽440
84.34%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,169
$2.60₽224
13.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,817
$1.14₽97.8
63.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,543
$0.69₽59.3
111.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 10.0K
$3.47₽298
-7.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.8K
$4.61₽397
23.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,491
$1.13₽97.7
27.43%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,494
$0.80₽69.2
200.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,302
$1.08₽92.7
57.41%
Eggs
$2.89COP 9,022
$1.13₽97.6
155.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 31.4K
$9.59₽825
4.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 31.1K
$4.74₽408
110.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 44.3K
$9.76₽840
45.49%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.4K
$1.64₽141
142.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,947
$1.64₽141
-3.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,718
$1.72₽148
25.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,178
$2.11₽182
9.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,257
$0.66₽56.5
203.03%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,712
$0.50₽43.26
202.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,754
$1.47₽126
-18.37%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 4,002
$0.54₽46.39
137.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 12.0K
$2.70₽232
42.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.7K
$5.89₽508
137.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,331
$0.77₽66.6
122.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,560
$1.77₽152
54.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,888
$0.48₽41.56
160.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 243.1K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,073
$2.32₽200
-43.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,775
$0.31₽26.63
600.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.9K
$7.02₽604
18.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,231
$0.80₽69.0
70.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 85.7M
$29.2K₽2.5M
-6.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 114.0M
$29.2K₽2.5M
25.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 526.6K
$77.5₽6,672
117.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 42.4K
$4.56₽393
197.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 88.4K
$8.36₽720
238.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 142.7K
$39.09₽3,366
16.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.8K
$21.48₽1,850
-19.83%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.8K
$5.87₽505
13.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$319₽27.4K
152.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.7M
$5,896₽507.7K
55.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 272.7K
$45.64₽3,930
91.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 185.3K
$29.66₽2,554
100.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 433.6K
$86.6₽7,458
60.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 318.5K
$52.0₽4,480
96.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$470₽40.5K
127.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$272₽23.4K
139.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 6.0M
$878₽75.6K
119.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.3M
$466₽40.1K
124.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.9M
$2,268₽195.3K
81.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.3M
$1,337₽115.2K
26.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Polevskoy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
20.34
-46.21%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Polevskoy: September 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $470 in Polevskoy. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Polevskoy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $180 – making Polevskoy 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 Polevskoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polevskoy cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,296 in Polevskoy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Polevskoy, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Polevskoy?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Polevskoy. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Polevskoy?
Groceries cost about 67% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Polevskoy?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Polevskoy, where all-in costs run around $864, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Polevskoy it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Polevskoy more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Polevskoy – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Polevskoy. 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.