Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rustavi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rustavi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $872 in Rustavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,287 in Rustavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,703 in Rustavi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Rustavi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Rustavi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Rustavi 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.00 ₾29.12

-45.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$28.81 ₾76.3

15.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.47 ₾22.43

-14.64%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.90 ₾5.04

-14.21%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.76 ₾2.01

43.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.46 ₾1.22

58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.16 ₾5.73

-19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.84 ₾7.53

13.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.85 ₾4.91

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.69 ₾1.82

86.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.56 ₾4.12

-15.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.22 ₾5.88

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.58 ₾20.07

-42.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.50 ₾11.92

30.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.13 ₾24.17

-5.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.90 ₾2.38

150.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.65 ₾4.38

-35.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.80 ₾4.76

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.99 ₾2.63

43.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.65 ₾1.72

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.62 ₾1.63

88.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.22 ₾3.23

-27.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.70 ₾1.85

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.93 ₾7.75

-23.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$3.77 ₾9.99

192.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.46 ₾3.87

-21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.21 ₾5.85

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.23 ₾0.60

265.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.66 ₾28.25

293.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.31 ₾3.48

7.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.35 ₾0.93

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.56 ₾9.42

117.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.10 ₾2.91

-8.18%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$18.4K ₾48.8K

-4.51%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$8,992 ₾23.8K

194.64%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$73.5 ₾195

13.83%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$7.41 ₾19.62

27.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.05 ₾29.27

118.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$25.38 ₾67.2

-0.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$18.42 ₾48.79

3.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.61 ₾17.51

-37.97%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$268 ₾709

16.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,143 ₾13.6K

16.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$73.3 ₾194

-20.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$43.75 ₾116

-25.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$105 ₾277

-4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$103 ₾273

5.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$253 ₾670

90.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$239 ₾634

58.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$447 ₾1,185

87.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$296 ₾785

144.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,045 ₾2,767

171.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$746 ₾1,976

63.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$431 ₾1,143

25.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.89

12.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Rustavi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $253 in Rustavi. 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 25% 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 $29.00 in Rustavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $175 – making Rustavi 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 Rustavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,308 in Rustavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rustavi, 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 $29.00 in Rustavi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $872 in Rustavi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rustavi, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Rustavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rustavi – 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 Rustavi. 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.