😐A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $951 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,488 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,025 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 5% more than Stary Oskol, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Medellin and Stary Oskol are more affordable than the global median – Medellin25% lower, Stary Oskol29% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.6K
$9.49₽755
-37.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 103.8K
$37.55₽2,988
-12.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.4K
$5.57₽443
33.39%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,207
$2.37₽188
-30.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,468
$1.09₽86.6
0.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,458
$0.52₽41.62
50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,412
$1.37₽109
25.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.0K
$2.53₽201
25.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,474
$1.15₽91.5
-4.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 3,962
$0.69₽55.2
82.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,349
$1.43₽114
-3.50%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,858
$1.73₽138
26.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.1K
$10.91₽868
-58.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.2K
$4.79₽381
20.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.2K
$8.69₽691
3.22%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,308
$1.74₽139
33.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,352
$1.89₽151
-43.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,774
$1.99₽158
-23.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,270
$2.65₽211
-48.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,552
$0.79₽62.9
43.04%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,689
$0.70₽55.9
67.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,838
$1.34₽107
-32.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,823
$0.72₽57.3
25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,034
$2.88₽229
-22.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.2K
$5.81₽463
108.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,743
$0.95₽75.3
25.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,815
$1.89₽150
31.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,687
$0.49₽39.31
73.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 131.0K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,459
$1.85₽147
-23.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,141
$0.33₽26.13
490.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 24.8K
$6.38₽508
23.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,118
$0.78₽61.9
26.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
$34.4K₽2.7M
-48.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
$36.2K₽2.9M
-26.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 261.4K
$111₽8,801
-24.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.5K
$6.04₽481
60.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 74.1K
$7.74₽616
203.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 79.5K
$35.73₽2,844
-29.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.4K
$5.13₽408
-23.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 994.2K
$319₽25.4K
-1.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 18.8M
$6,983₽555.8K
-14.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 188.9K
$68.6₽5,461
-12.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 100.2K
$44.72₽3,559
-28.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 320.1K
$113₽9,000
-10.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 338.3K
$108₽8,634
-0.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$451₽35.9K
5.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$309₽24.6K
21.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$760₽60.5K
11.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$515₽41.0K
39.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.3M
$2,580₽205.3K
26.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.5M
$1,666₽132.6K
-13.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 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 27, 2026
Last update for Stary Oskol: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $451 in Stary Oskol. 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 $38.00 in Stary Oskol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $193 – 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 Stary Oskol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stary Oskol cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,426 in Stary Oskol. 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 Stary Oskol, 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 Stary Oskol?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Stary Oskol. 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 Stary Oskol?
Groceries cost about 0% 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 $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Stary Oskol?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stary Oskol, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Stary Oskol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Stary Oskol more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Stary Oskol – 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 Stary Oskol. 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.