Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shakhty Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shakhty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $964 in Shakhty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,472 in Shakhty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,981 in Shakhty, rent included.

Medellin costs about 6% more than Shakhty, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Shakhty are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Shakhty 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$9.66 ₽751

-38.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$37.46 ₽2,912

-11.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$5.56 ₽432

28.06%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$2.30 ₽178

-25.65%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.09 ₽84.4

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.48 ₽37.05

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$1.40 ₽109

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.48 ₽193

27.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$1.10 ₽85.4

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$0.70 ₽54.8

87.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$1.37 ₽106

-2.92%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$1.77 ₽138

28.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$10.65 ₽828

-58.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$4.79 ₽373

23.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$8.88 ₽690

-2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$1.81 ₽141

29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$1.81 ₽141

-39.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$2.01 ₽156

-26.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$2.75 ₽214

-49.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$0.85 ₽66.0

37.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$0.66 ₽51.4

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$1.37 ₽106

-34.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.67 ₽52.1

25.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$2.90 ₽226

-19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$8.43 ₽655

41.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$0.97 ₽75.3

18.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$1.92 ₽149

26.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

$0.49 ₽37.79

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$1.94 ₽151

-27.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$0.35 ₽27.58

445.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$6.22 ₽484

25.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$0.72 ₽56.1

30.56%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$34.9K ₽2.7M

-48.95%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$35.8K ₽2.8M

-24.32%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$109 ₽8,436

-23.29%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$6.11 ₽475

58.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$7.83 ₽609

209.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$36.25 ₽2,817

-30.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$5.15 ₽400

-20.97%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$325 ₽25.3K

-5.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$7,037 ₽547.0K

-15.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$69.3 ₽5,385

-13.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$44.33 ₽3,445

-26.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$114 ₽8,895

-11.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$109 ₽8,468

-0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$438 ₽34.1K

8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$309 ₽24.1K

22.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$754 ₽58.6K

8.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$514 ₽40.0K

37.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$2,268 ₽176.3K

40.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$1,303 ₽101.2K

11.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.33

-12.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Shakhty: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $438 in Shakhty. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Shakhty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $198 – making Medellin 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 Shakhty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,445 in Shakhty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shakhty, 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 $37.00 in Shakhty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shakhty, where all-in costs run around $964, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Shakhty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shakhty – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Shakhty. 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.