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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $835 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,239 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,642 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Ulyanovsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Ulyanovsk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ulyanovsk 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.93 ₽659

-32.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$31.68 ₽2,338

3.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.58 ₽412

27.06%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.41 ₽178

-29.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.11 ₽81.9

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.46 ₽33.72

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$0.85 ₽62.5

97.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.67 ₽123

83.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.10 ₽81.5

-0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.65 ₽47.74

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.19 ₽87.8

15.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.57 ₽116

39.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.35 ₽690

-52.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.75 ₽350

18.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.51 ₽628

4.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.25 ₽91.9

87.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.50 ₽110

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.46 ₽108

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.74 ₽128

-20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.67 ₽49.15

71.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.39 ₽28.99

197.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.75 ₽129

-49.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.54 ₽39.83

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.38 ₽102

65.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$4.98 ₽367

113.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.91 ₽67.4

31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.77 ₽131

39.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.43 ₽31.93

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.85 ₽137

-20.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.19 ₽13.90

931.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.92 ₽289

97.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.76 ₽56.0

25.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$48.7K ₽3.6M

-62.77%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$44.7K ₽3.3M

-40.68%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$102 ₽7,546

-19.58%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.47 ₽403

73.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$5.59 ₽412

333.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$35.95 ₽2,653

-27.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.07 ₽300

-3.44%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$89.2 ₽6,582

246.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,038 ₽445.6K

-1.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$100 ₽7,397

-41.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$47.92 ₽3,536

-32.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$87.2 ₽6,434

17.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$75.7 ₽5,583

43.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$316 ₽23.3K

50.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$234 ₽17.3K

61.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$565 ₽41.7K

48.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$304 ₽22.5K

137.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,443 ₽180.2K

14.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,482 ₽109.3K

-18.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$742 ₽54.7K

-30.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.33

-12.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ulyanovsk: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $316 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 45% higher in Ulyanovsk, 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 $32.00 in Ulyanovsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $170 – 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 21%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,253 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Ulyanovsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulyanovsk, where all-in costs run around $835, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.