Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ruda Slaska

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruda Slaska: $1,408 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Ruda Slaska
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,408
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ruda Slaska

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ruda Slaska actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,408 in Ruda Slaska, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Ruda Slaska $1,408

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $2,023 in Ruda Slaska, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Ruda Slaska $2,023

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $2,638 in Ruda Slaska, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Ruda Slaska $2,638

Medellin costs about 15% more than Ruda Slaska, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Ruda Slaska sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Ruda Slaska by 4%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$10.08 zł 39.16
-17.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$35.25 zł 137
33.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$8.84 zł 34.35
4.52%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$3.46 zł 13.44
-11.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$2.19 zł 8.52
-17.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$1.85 zł 7.19
-25.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$3.51 zł 13.65
-7.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$4.53 zł 17.60
22.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$0.92 zł 3.56
63.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$1.19 zł 4.64
99.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.44 zł 5.59
18.06%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$3.31 zł 12.85
-10.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$7.93 zł 30.81
28.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$5.43 zł 21.09
79.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$12.14 zł 47.17
14.50%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$1.06 zł 4.14
289.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.43 zł 5.57
6.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$1.47 zł 5.70
51.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$2.63 zł 10.22
-13.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$0.96 zł 3.73
107.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$0.82 zł 3.19
103.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.29 zł 5.02
-8.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.61 zł 2.36
103.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$5.79 zł 22.50
-33.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$6.26 zł 24.32
120.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$1.00 zł 3.89
66.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$1.68 zł 6.53
42.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$1.09 zł 4.22
13.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$30.04 zł 117
160.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$2.06 zł 7.99
-37.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$0.93 zł 3.63
131.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$10.56 zł 41.04
-20.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$1.69 zł 6.57
-20.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$30.4K zł 118.1K
14.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$26.5K zł 102.9K
30.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$267 zł 1,039
-37.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$8.01 zł 31.13
70.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$17.38 zł 67.5
67.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$38.85 zł 151
16.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$21.96 zł 85.3
-21.77%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$7.14 zł 27.76
-2.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$474 zł 1,843
66.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$11.8K zł 45.9K
-23.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$68.9 zł 268
27.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$31.83 zł 124
82.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$90.4 zł 351
53.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$91.7 zł 356
7.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$602 zł 2,340
70.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$504 zł 1,958
22.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$997 zł 3,872
88.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$820 zł 3,186
22.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$2,882 zł 11.2K
38.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$2,245 zł 8,724
-24.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ruda Slaska
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$1,463 zł 5,682
-54.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
7.19
52.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ruda Slaska: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Ruda Slaska
$504 18.6% $115
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Ruda Slaska
$198 33.4% $100
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Ruda Slaska
$293 39.9% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Ruda Slaska
$127 26.3% $45
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Ruda Slaska
$191 12.1% $21
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Ruda Slaska
$41 56.8% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Ruda Slaska
$53 10% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $602 in Ruda Slaska. 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 120% higher in Ruda Slaska, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Ruda Slaska. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $198 – making Ruda Slaska the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇱 Ruda Slaska
🕒 Local time
16:59 4:59 PM
23:59 11:59 PM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
135,695
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Ruda Slaska 9,790 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Ruda Slaska

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ruda Slaska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ruda Slaska cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $2,112 in Ruda Slaska. 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 Ruda Slaska, 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 Ruda Slaska?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Ruda Slaska. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Ruda Slaska?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $1,408 in Ruda Slaska. That's a gap of about 15%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Ruda Slaska?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ruda Slaska, where all-in costs run around $1,408, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Ruda Slaska it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Ruda Slaska more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ruda Slaska – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Ruda Slaska?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ruda Slaska. 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.

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