Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tomsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tomsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,096 in Tomsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,661 in Tomsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,226 in Tomsk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Tomsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tomsk is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.82 ₽745

-9.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$29.07 ₽2,456

64.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.62 ₽559

49.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.15 ₽182

45.58%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.88 ₽74.8

117.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.41 ₽34.84

268.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.08 ₽91.1

188.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.62 ₽306

58.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.16 ₽98.3

24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.76 ₽64.3

227.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.00 ₽84.3

77.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.44 ₽122

105.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.52 ₽974

-12.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.63 ₽391

118.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.67 ₽817

47.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.58 ₽134

162.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.83 ₽154

-12.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.94 ₽164

15.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.62 ₽221

-14.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.44 ₽36.94

363.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.38 ₽31.84

305.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.90 ₽160

-38.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.56 ₽47.34

133.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.69 ₽227

44.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.26 ₽529

123.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.93 ₽78.8

87.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.61 ₽136

78.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.44 ₽37.02

177.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$8.40 ₽710

858.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.31 ₽195

-43.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.29 ₽24.33

655.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$7.21 ₽609

20.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.78 ₽65.7

75.64%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.2K ₽3.0M

-21.01%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$30.8K ₽2.6M

16.32%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$154 ₽13.0K

14.93%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.27 ₽698

67.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$11.68 ₽987

154.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$58.2 ₽4,918

-22.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$16.16 ₽1,365

5.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.66 ₽394

42.70%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$233 ₽19.7K

249.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$112 ₽9,502

-20.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$71.2 ₽6,012

-17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$163 ₽13.7K

-14.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$120 ₽10.1K

-14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$503 ₽42.5K

110.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$306 ₽25.9K

116.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$778 ₽65.8K

142.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$502 ₽42.4K

104.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,156 ₽182.2K

93.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,591 ₽134.5K

5.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$878 ₽74.2K

-22.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-50.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $503 in Tomsk. 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 30% higher in Tomsk, 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 $29.00 in Tomsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $192 – making Tomsk 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 Tomsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,644 in Tomsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tomsk, 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 $29.00 in Tomsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,096 in Tomsk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tomsk, where all-in costs run around $1,096, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Tomsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tomsk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tomsk. 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.