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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $957 in Sterlitamak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,549 in Sterlitamak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,141 in Sterlitamak, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Sterlitamak are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sterlitamak 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$9.96 β‚½727
-39.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.4K
$51.3 β‚½3,745
-35.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$6.46 β‚½471
9.75%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,115
$2.59 β‚½189
-33.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,924
$0.78 β‚½56.7
41.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,781
$0.53 β‚½38.63
47.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,997
$1.82 β‚½133
-7.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 11.0K
$1.49 β‚½108
106.04%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,906
$1.04 β‚½76.2
4.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,508
$0.71 β‚½51.5
77.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,922
$1.47 β‚½107
-6.12%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,827
$1.76 β‚½129
24.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$10.47 β‚½764
-57.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$5.07 β‚½370
11.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.8K
$8.62 β‚½629
3.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,349
$2.01 β‚½147
16.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,777
$2.00 β‚½146
-47.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,374
$2.68 β‚½196
-44.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,924
$2.93 β‚½214
-52.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,111
$0.69 β‚½50.6
66.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,155
$0.81 β‚½59.0
43.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,182
$1.77 β‚½129
-49.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,997
$0.53 β‚½38.81
58.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,145
$2.96 β‚½216
-22.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 38.0K
$6.83 β‚½499
55.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,284
$0.92 β‚½67.4
30.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,824
$1.70 β‚½124
45.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,056
$0.52 β‚½38.01
65.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,264
$1.96 β‚½143
-25.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 7,009
$0.51 β‚½37.06
284.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
$6.67 β‚½487
16.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,409
$0.72 β‚½52.3
31.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.7M
$40.5K β‚½3.0M
-55.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.6M
$48.1K β‚½3.5M
-44.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.7K
$103 β‚½7,531
-20.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$5.16 β‚½376
84.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.5K
$6.90 β‚½504
251.16%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.4K
$35.01 β‚½2,555
-26.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$3.84 β‚½280
2.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$378 β‚½27.6K
-18.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
$5,118 β‚½373.6K
16.55%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.5K
$77.1 β‚½5,628
-23.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.5K
$39.34 β‚½2,872
-17.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 366.4K
$128 β‚½9,365
-20.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 387.2K
$115 β‚½8,365
-5.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$445 β‚½32.5K
7.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$300 β‚½21.9K
26.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$769 β‚½56.1K
9.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$508 β‚½37.1K
42.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 10.0M
$2,284 β‚½166.7K
22.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
$1,529 β‚½111.6K
-20.79%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Sterlitamak
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$943 β‚½68.9K
-45.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
9
49.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sterlitamak: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $445 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 84% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Sterlitamak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $199 – 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 Sterlitamak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sterlitamak cheaper than Medellin?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,436 in Sterlitamak. 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 Sterlitamak, 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 Sterlitamak?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $51.0 in Sterlitamak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Sterlitamak?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Sterlitamak?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sterlitamak, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sterlitamak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Sterlitamak more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities