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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $853 in Rustavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,286 in Rustavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,718 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 25% lower, Rustavi 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$11.07 ₾28.96

-46.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$28.98 ₾75.9

13.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$8.19 ₾21.42

-9.28%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$1.92 ₾5.02

-14.06%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$0.76 ₾2.00

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$0.45 ₾1.19

73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$2.17 ₾5.68

-20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$2.90 ₾7.60

9.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$1.95 ₾5.11

-43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$0.73 ₾1.91

72.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$1.56 ₾4.08

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$2.21 ₾5.79

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$7.46 ₾19.52

-39.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$4.70 ₾12.30

23.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$9.24 ₾24.17

-2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$0.88 ₾2.29

163.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.59 ₾4.17

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$1.87 ₾4.90

-18.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$1.02 ₾2.68

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$0.65 ₾1.69

73.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.62 ₾1.62

88.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$1.18 ₾3.09

-23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$0.65 ₾1.70

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$3.02 ₾7.91

-26.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$3.73 ₾9.77

224.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$1.52 ₾3.99

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$2.32 ₾6.08

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$0.23 ₾0.60

269.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$10.91 ₾28.56

281.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$1.30 ₾3.39

9.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$0.37 ₾0.97

427.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$3.69 ₾9.66

113.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$1.10 ₾2.88

-10.00%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$17.9K ₾46.9K

-1.85%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$9,312 ₾24.4K

187.78%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$73.2 ₾191

13.46%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$7.36 ₾19.26

31.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$10.81 ₾28.30

117.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$26.09 ₾68.3

-3.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$18.22 ₾47.70

4.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$6.46 ₾16.92

-38.85%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$267 ₾698

18.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$5,182 ₾13.6K

15.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$74.3 ₾194

-19.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$44.98 ₾118

-29.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$107 ₾281

-5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$105 ₾276

1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$253 ₾662

87.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$237 ₾621

57.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$438 ₾1,146

93.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$295 ₾772

143.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

$1,034 ₾2,706

215.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$771 ₾2,018

86.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

$451 ₾1,180

38.55%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rustavi: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 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 39% 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: $193 vs $177 – 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,280 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $853 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 $853, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.