Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sterlitamak Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sterlitamak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $920 in Sterlitamak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,457 in Sterlitamak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,993 in Sterlitamak, rent included.

Medellin costs about 87% more than Sterlitamak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Sterlitamak is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$8.48 ₽728

-5.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$46.82 ₽4,018

3.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.10 ₽352

138.29%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.17 ₽187

34.10%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.98 ₽84.2

97.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.44 ₽37.65

245.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.39 ₽120

122.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.02 ₽259

90.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.00 ₽85.9

36.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.69 ₽59.2

246.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.26 ₽108

34.92%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.35 ₽116

112.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$10.06 ₽863

-1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.52 ₽388

138.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.80 ₽670

88.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$0.75 ₽64.5

445.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.34 ₽115

17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.33 ₽114

60.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.59 ₽222

-14.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.75 ₽64.1

173.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.52 ₽44.26

188.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.74 ₽63.3

60.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.56 ₽47.82

107.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.11 ₽267

25.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.06 ₽520

138.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.01 ₽86.9

56.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.54 ₽218

11.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.47 ₽40.59

148.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$21.16 ₽1,816

267.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.77 ₽152

-27.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.37 ₽32.05

464.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$5.44 ₽467

58.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.72 ₽62.1

80.56%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$26.7K ₽2.3M

3.76%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$38.0K ₽3.3M

-6.64%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$96.7 ₽8,298

82.10%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$4.91 ₽422

172.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$8.57 ₽735

248.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$35.89 ₽3,080

24.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$3.62 ₽311

71.27%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$274 ₽23.5K

189.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$7,148 ₽613.4K

26.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$77.0 ₽6,606

11.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$60.3 ₽5,175

-3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$116 ₽9,915

17.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$98.0 ₽8,414

5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$426 ₽36.6K

148.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$304 ₽26.1K

123.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$758 ₽65.0K

165.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$526 ₽45.2K

122.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,136 ₽183.3K

92.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,416 ₽121.5K

20.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$812 ₽69.7K

-18.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

19.18

-42.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sterlitamak: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $426 in Sterlitamak. 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 22% higher in Sterlitamak, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Sterlitamak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $169 – making Sterlitamak 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 Sterlitamak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,380 in Sterlitamak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sterlitamak, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $47.00 in Sterlitamak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $920 in Sterlitamak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sterlitamak, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Sterlitamak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sterlitamak – 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 Sterlitamak. 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.