Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zelenogradsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Zelenogradsk: $1,080 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Zelenogradsk
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Zelenogradsk Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Zelenogradsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,080

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Zelenogradsk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Zelenogradsk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $1,080 in Zelenogradsk, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Zelenogradsk $1,080

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $1,770 in Zelenogradsk, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Zelenogradsk $1,770

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $2,459 in Zelenogradsk, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Zelenogradsk $2,459

Medellin costs about 57% more than Zelenogradsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Zelenogradsk is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$12.33 ₽1,010

-32.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.3K

$41.14 ₽3,371

13.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.6K

$6.51 ₽533

45.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$3.02 ₽247

3.64%

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

$1.77 COP 5,704

$1.24 ₽101

42.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,600

$0.56 ₽46.06

153.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$1.78 ₽146

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

$3.01 ₽247

89.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,949

$1.15 ₽93.9

33.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,399

$0.81 ₽66.0

182.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,281

$1.46 ₽119

32.88%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,902

$1.60 ₽131

91.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.3K

$12.09 ₽990

-17.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

$5.28 ₽433

97.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

$11.60 ₽951

20.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

$1.75 ₽143

131.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,936

$1.83 ₽150

-16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,795

$1.77 ₽145

18.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,407

$3.09 ₽253

-25.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,812

$0.79 ₽64.7

167.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,519

$0.65 ₽53.2

163.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,779

$1.38 ₽113

-15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,102

$0.74 ₽60.7

113.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

$3.07 ₽251

27.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.4K

$8.49 ₽696

65.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,689

$1.17 ₽96.0

50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,758

$2.06 ₽169

31.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,810

$0.54 ₽43.99

118.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.4K

$29.74 ₽2,437

156.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,835

$2.41 ₽197

-24.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,876

$0.32 ₽26.52

565.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.3K

$6.07 ₽497

33.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,118

$0.90 ₽73.3

42.22%

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

$34.4K COP 111.2M

$53.0K ₽4.3M

-34.97%

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

$34.1K COP 110.2M

$41.4K ₽3.4M

-17.62%

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

$178 COP 573.9K

$131 ₽10.7K

36.06%

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

$6.60 ₽541

110.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.3K

$8.45 ₽692

263.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.4K

$36.49 ₽2,990

14.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.3K

$21.81 ₽1,787

-22.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

$6.64 ₽544

12.50%

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

$790 COP 2.6M

$359 ₽29.4K

120.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

$6,234 ₽510.7K

97.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.8K

$84.2 ₽6,897

2.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.4K

$47.53 ₽3,894

24.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.7K

$145 ₽11.9K

-4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.1K

$108 ₽8,859

-8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$488 ₽40.0K

174.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

$282 ₽23.1K

136.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$1,010 ₽82.8K

95.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$658 ₽53.9K

56.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

$2,222 ₽182.0K

84.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

$1,368 ₽112.1K

41.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$781 ₽64.0K

-17.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-39.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Zelenogradsk: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Zelenogradsk

$282 26.1% 57.7% $385

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Zelenogradsk

$217 20.1% 29.6% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Zelenogradsk

$146 13.5% 34.5% $77

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Zelenogradsk

$177 16.4% 2.3% $3.9

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Zelenogradsk

$173 16% 0.5% $0.9

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Zelenogradsk

$36 3.3% 61.6% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Zelenogradsk

$50 4.6% 12.5% $7.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $488 in Zelenogradsk. 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 21% higher in Zelenogradsk, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $41 in Zelenogradsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $217 – making Zelenogradsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇷🇺 Zelenogradsk

🕒 Local time

14:12 2:12 PM

21:12 9:12 PM

7 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

14,308

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

100 RUB = 1.22 USD

100 RUB = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,627 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 81.92 RUB (100 RUB = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 92.01 RUB (100 RUB = 1.09 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Zelenogradsk 9,820 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Zelenogradsk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zelenogradsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $1,620 in Zelenogradsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zelenogradsk, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $488 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $41 in Zelenogradsk. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $1,080 in Zelenogradsk. That makes Zelenogradsk about 36% cheaper.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,692 in Medellin and $1,080 in Zelenogradsk. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Zelenogradsk is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 36% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.