😐A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,002 in Surgut, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,572 in Surgut, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,142 in Surgut, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 68% more than Surgut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Surgut is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Surgut
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02COP 25.0K
$9.46₽799
-15.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87COP 149.4K
$36.97₽3,123
29.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89COP 30.8K
$5.25₽443
88.38%
Cappuccino
$3.13COP 9,767
$2.64₽223
18.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91COP 5,954
$1.13₽95.2
69.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51COP 4,712
$0.65₽55.1
132.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12COP 9,747
$1.66₽140
87.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75COP 17.9K
$2.54₽214
126.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Surgut
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,509
$1.21₽102
19.01%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,759
$0.69₽57.9
260.87%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,535
$1.21₽102
46.28%
Eggs
$2.96COP 9,235
$1.65₽140
79.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 31.4K
$9.70₽819
3.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12COP 31.6K
$4.74₽401
113.50%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30COP 44.6K
$10.69₽904
33.77%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14COP 12.9K
$1.90₽160
117.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61COP 5,019
$1.73₽146
-6.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,007
$1.94₽164
15.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,028
$2.53₽214
-11.07%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04COP 6,375
$0.72₽60.7
183.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,790
$0.53₽45.05
190.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17COP 3,651
$1.49₽126
-21.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,077
$0.80₽67.9
63.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.2K
$3.12₽264
25.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.7K
$7.99₽675
75.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74COP 5,439
$1.13₽95.9
53.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87COP 8,956
$2.02₽171
42.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Surgut
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22COP 3,792
$0.45₽37.73
171.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5COP 251.1K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,084
$2.40₽203
-45.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19COP 6,825
$0.38₽31.98
476.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.71COP 27.2K
$6.56₽554
32.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37COP 4,260
$0.77₽64.7
77.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KCOP 86.9M
$38.2K₽3.2M
-27.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8KCOP 111.6M
$36.4K₽3.1M
-1.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Surgut
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177COP 553.2K
$117₽9,919
51.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88COP 43.3K
$5.32₽450
160.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72COP 92.8K
$7.35₽621
304.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Surgut
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.88COP 140.1K
$29.58₽2,499
51.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12COP 53.4K
$23.47₽1,983
-27.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.7K
$5.06₽427
31.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Surgut
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$813COP 2.5M
$311₽26.3K
161.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,187COP 28.7M
$6,517₽550.6K
40.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Surgut
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5COP 279.3K
$66.6₽5,627
34.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0COP 184.0K
$49.36₽4,170
19.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$138COP 431.2K
$120₽10.1K
15.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 318.7K
$105₽8,858
-2.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Surgut
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,062COP 3.3M
$443₽37.4K
139.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663COP 2.1M
$328₽27.7K
101.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,888COP 5.9M
$888₽75.0K
112.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027COP 3.2M
$526₽44.4K
95.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,183COP 13.1M
$2,068₽174.7K
102.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,675COP 5.2M
$1,684₽142.3K
-0.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Surgut
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 Surgut: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $443 in Surgut. 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 Surgut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $200 – making Surgut 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 Surgut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Surgut cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 68%, 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 $1,504 in Surgut. 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 Surgut, 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 Surgut?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $37.00 in Surgut. 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 Surgut?
Groceries cost about 52% 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 $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Surgut?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Surgut, where all-in costs run around $1,002, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Surgut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Surgut more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Surgut – 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 Surgut. 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.