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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,037 in Tomsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,606 in Tomsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,176 in Tomsk, rent included.

Medellin and Tomsk have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medellin and Tomsk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tomsk 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.45 ₽485

-8.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$31.79 ₽2,388

3.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.62 ₽422

28.11%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.27 ₽170

-25.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.02 ₽76.8

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.43 ₽32.23

67.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.24 ₽93.3

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.14 ₽236

-1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.11 ₽83.1

-4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.58 ₽43.45

115.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.85 ₽139

-24.86%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.72 ₽129

31.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.96 ₽823

-60.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.50 ₽413

6.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.97 ₽674

-1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.05 ₽154

9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.98 ₽149

-45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.15 ₽161

-28.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$3.77 ₽283

-63.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.70 ₽52.6

61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.54 ₽40.19

107.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.06 ₽79.5

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.61 ₽46.02

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.58 ₽193

-9.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.90 ₽593

40.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.93 ₽70.2

27.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.83 ₽137

29.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.39 ₽29.62

102.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$26.15 ₽1,964

57.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.68 ₽126

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.25 ₽18.85

664.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.07 ₽456

32.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.69 ₽51.6

36.23%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.6K ₽2.4M

-43.26%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$40.4K ₽3.0M

-33.77%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$114 ₽8,556

-26.29%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$5.09 ₽382

88.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$8.11 ₽609

197.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$61.1 ₽4,588

-57.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$25.54 ₽1,918

-25.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.55 ₽417

-29.37%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$75.0 ₽5,633

308.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,392 ₽329.9K

34.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$74.7 ₽5,611

-22.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$34.43 ₽2,586

-7.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$135 ₽10.1K

-25.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$185 ₽13.9K

-42.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$445 ₽33.4K

9.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$278 ₽20.9K

32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$753 ₽56.5K

9.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$500 ₽37.6K

43.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,153 ₽161.7K

35.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,504 ₽113.0K

-6.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$804 ₽60.4K

-32.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.08

-39.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $445 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 47% higher in Tomsk. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Tomsk. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $207 in Tomsk – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,555 in Tomsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Tomsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Tomsk at $1,037. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tomsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tomsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.