Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yekaterinburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yekaterinburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,264 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,068 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,873 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than Yekaterinburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Yekaterinburg is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$12.36 ₽1,073

-35.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.3K

$47.23 ₽4,100

2.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$5.75 ₽500

69.91%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,185

$2.78 ₽241

4.68%

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

$1.94 COP 6,134

$1.42 ₽123

36.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,801

$0.45 ₽39.35

237.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,759

$2.07 ₽180

49.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.89 ₽251

98.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,304

$1.05 ₽90.8

29.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,534

$0.60 ₽51.7

298.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,366

$1.13 ₽97.8

50.44%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,056

$1.46 ₽127

96.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.4K

$11.92 ₽1,035

-16.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$4.89 ₽424

120.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.5K

$11.62 ₽1,009

26.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$1.80 ₽156

127.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,960

$1.66 ₽144

-5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,708

$1.42 ₽123

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,985

$2.63 ₽228

-15.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,460

$0.68 ₽59.1

201.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,747

$0.56 ₽48.55

167.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,755

$1.48 ₽129

-19.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,654

$0.80 ₽69.5

45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.95 ₽256

32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.6K

$6.99 ₽607

106.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,997

$1.29 ₽112

22.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,923

$2.46 ₽213

15.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,686

$0.47 ₽40.94

148.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

$17.04 ₽1,480

356.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,054

$2.88 ₽250

-55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,602

$0.17 ₽14.70

1129.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.2K

$4.07 ₽354

111.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,096

$0.76 ₽65.8

71.05%

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

$27.7K COP 87.3M

$29.6K ₽2.6M

-6.49%

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

$35.5K COP 112.0M

$27.6K ₽2.4M

28.44%

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

$176 COP 555.6K

$123 ₽10.7K

42.90%

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

$13.37 COP 42.2K

$6.47 ₽562

106.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.3K

$11.44 ₽993

161.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.2K

$49.53 ₽4,300

-9.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

$22.83 ₽1,982

-25.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.6K

$5.48 ₽476

13.14%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$339 ₽29.4K

134.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.5M

$6,632 ₽575.7K

36.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 270.1K

$102 ₽8,880

-16.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.5K

$61.0 ₽5,296

-4.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 430.1K

$150 ₽13.1K

-9.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 325.4K

$129 ₽11.2K

-20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$786 ₽68.2K

34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$449 ₽39.0K

51.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,246 ₽108.1K

61.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,014 ₽88.1K

15.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 13.0M

$2,399 ₽208.3K

71.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$1,656 ₽143.8K

2.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$889 ₽77.2K

-25.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

22.33

-51.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Yekaterinburg: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $786 in Yekaterinburg. 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 34% higher in Yekaterinburg, 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 $47.00 in Yekaterinburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $204 – making Yekaterinburg 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 Yekaterinburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,896 in Yekaterinburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yekaterinburg, 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 $47.00 in Yekaterinburg. 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 $1,264 in Yekaterinburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yekaterinburg, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Yekaterinburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yekaterinburg – 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 Yekaterinburg. 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.