Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zelenogradsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zelenogradsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $987 in Zelenogradsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,536 in Zelenogradsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,086 in Zelenogradsk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Zelenogradsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Zelenogradsk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Zelenogradsk 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.80 ₽780

-39.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$38.52 ₽3,066

-14.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.85 ₽465

27.01%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.30 ₽183

-28.26%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.68 ₽54.5

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.52 ₽41.14

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.35 ₽108

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.58 ₽205

23.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.11 ₽88.3

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.71 ₽56.4

77.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.39 ₽110

-0.72%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.71 ₽136

27.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.92 ₽869

-58.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.81 ₽383

20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.95 ₽712

0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.73 ₽138

34.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.88 ₽150

-43.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.98 ₽158

-23.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.71 ₽216

-49.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.85 ₽67.3

32.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.66 ₽52.8

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.36 ₽108

-33.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.66 ₽52.2

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.95 ₽235

-24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.35 ₽585

64.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.02 ₽81.4

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.87 ₽149

32.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.37 ₽29.32

129.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$15.90 ₽1,265

161.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.94 ₽155

-26.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.35 ₽27.87

457.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.33 ₽185

238.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.76 ₽60.8

30.26%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$33.1K ₽2.6M

-46.89%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.9K ₽2.5M

-16.08%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$108 ₽8,589

-23.07%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$5.80 ₽462

67.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$7.87 ₽627

198.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$35.81 ₽2,850

-29.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$13.42 ₽1,068

42.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.20 ₽414

-24.04%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$204 ₽16.2K

55.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,081 ₽563.6K

-15.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$69.0 ₽5,491

-13.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.28 ₽3,604

-29.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$114 ₽9,102

-11.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$108 ₽8,562

-0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$440 ₽35.0K

8.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$299 ₽23.8K

24.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$757 ₽60.3K

12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$502 ₽39.9K

43.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,288 ₽182.1K

42.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,559 ₽124.1K

-7.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zelenogradsk: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $440 in Zelenogradsk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Zelenogradsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $196 – making Medellin 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 Zelenogradsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,481 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. 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 $39.00 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $987 in Zelenogradsk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zelenogradsk, where all-in costs run around $987, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Zelenogradsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Zelenogradsk. 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.