Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ulyanovsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ulyanovsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $811 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,259 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,707 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 112% more than Ulyanovsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Ulyanovsk is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$11.56 ₽992

-30.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$28.53 ₽2,448

69.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$5.87 ₽504

66.44%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.40 ₽206

21.25%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.00 ₽85.8

94.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.49 ₽42.22

210.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.22 ₽191

39.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$1.71 ₽147

235.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.06 ₽91.0

28.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.72 ₽62.2

231.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.21 ₽104

40.50%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$0.98 ₽84.1

192.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$11.43 ₽981

-13.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.48 ₽471

96.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$9.44 ₽810

56.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.20 ₽103

240.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.61 ₽138

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.35 ₽201

-9.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.79 ₽240

-20.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.96 ₽82.3

113.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.65 ₽55.7

130.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.43 ₽123

-16.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.42 ₽36.18

176.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.63 ₽226

48.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.89 ₽592

109.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$0.70 ₽59.8

125.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$0.60 ₽51.3

371.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.41 ₽35.08

185.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$17.03 ₽1,461

356.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.25 ₽108

2.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.17 ₽14.43

1129.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$4.83 ₽414

78.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.78 ₽66.6

66.67%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$48.9K ₽4.2M

-43.45%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$42.2K ₽3.6M

-15.76%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$58.0 ₽4,978

203.57%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$5.19 ₽446

157.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$4.54 ₽390

558.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$27.89 ₽2,393

60.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$24.53 ₽2,105

-30.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.53 ₽474

12.12%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$175 ₽15.0K

353.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$29.00 ₽2,489

195.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$34.14 ₽2,930

71.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$91.2 ₽7,830

49.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$57.9 ₽4,969

78.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$335 ₽28.7K

216.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$223 ₽19.2K

204.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$504 ₽43.2K

299.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$392 ₽33.6K

198.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,021 ₽173.5K

103.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,231 ₽105.7K

38.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$613 ₽52.6K

8.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-52.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ulyanovsk: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $335 in Ulyanovsk. 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 9% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Ulyanovsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $189 – making Ulyanovsk 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 Ulyanovsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 112%, 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 $1,216 in Ulyanovsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulyanovsk, 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 Ulyanovsk. 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 $811 in Ulyanovsk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulyanovsk, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Ulyanovsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulyanovsk – 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 Ulyanovsk. 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.