😐A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $988 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,544 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,099 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 70% more than Stary Oskol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Stary Oskol is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02COP 25.3K
$11.15₽942
-28.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87COP 151.0K
$36.69₽3,100
30.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89COP 31.2K
$6.01₽508
64.56%
Cappuccino
$3.13COP 9,873
$2.68₽226
16.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91COP 6,019
$1.05₽88.7
81.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51COP 4,763
$0.57₽48.02
164.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12COP 9,853
$1.71₽144
82.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75COP 18.1K
$2.93₽248
96.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,558
$1.09₽92.0
32.11%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,843
$0.72₽60.8
245.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,595
$1.30₽110
36.15%
Eggs
$2.96COP 9,336
$1.57₽133
88.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 31.8K
$10.91₽922
-7.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12COP 31.9K
$5.09₽430
98.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30COP 45.1K
$10.50₽887
36.19%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14COP 13.0K
$1.72₽146
140.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61COP 5,073
$1.77₽150
-9.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,083
$1.77₽150
27.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,104
$2.74₽232
-17.88%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04COP 6,444
$0.69₽58.7
195.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,842
$0.57₽48.48
170.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17COP 3,691
$1.26₽106
-7.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,121
$0.67₽56.6
95.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.3K
$2.80₽237
39.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 44.2K
$7.39₽625
89.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74COP 5,498
$1.02₽86.3
70.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87COP 9,053
$1.94₽164
47.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22COP 3,834
$0.50₽42.23
144.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5COP 253.9K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,129
$2.33₽197
-43.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19COP 6,899
$0.33₽27.90
563.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.71COP 27.5K
$5.26₽445
65.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37COP 4,306
$0.83₽70.1
65.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KCOP 87.8M
$32.3K₽2.7M
-13.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8KCOP 112.8M
$32.6K₽2.8M
9.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177COP 559.3K
$116₽9,787
53.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88COP 43.8K
$5.80₽490
139.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72COP 93.8K
$7.98₽674
272.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.88COP 141.6K
$33.49₽2,830
34.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12COP 54.0K
$23.73₽2,006
-27.86%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 21.0K
$5.96₽504
11.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$813COP 2.6M
$309₽26.1K
163.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,187COP 29.0M
$6,272₽530.0K
46.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5COP 282.3K
$68.3₽5,768
31.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0COP 186.0K
$45.10₽3,811
30.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$138COP 435.9K
$115₽9,754
19.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 322.1K
$96.2₽8,132
6.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,062COP 3.3M
$446₽37.7K
138.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663COP 2.1M
$312₽26.3K
112.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,888COP 6.0M
$798₽67.4K
136.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027COP 3.2M
$534₽45.1K
92.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,183COP 13.2M
$2,223₽187.9K
88.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,675COP 5.3M
$1,451₽122.6K
15.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Stary Oskol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$678COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
21
-47.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Last update for Stary Oskol: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $446 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Stary Oskol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $199 – making Stary Oskol 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 70%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,482 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $37.00 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 53% 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 $988, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.