Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhukovsky Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhukovsky

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,586 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,160 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

Medellin and Zhukovsky have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$12.53 ₽924

-52.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$50.2 ₽3,705

-34.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.70 ₽273

91.62%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.53 ₽187

-32.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.80 ₽59.2

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.36 ₽26.68

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.87 ₽138

-10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.52 ₽186

21.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.87 ₽63.9

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.73 ₽53.8

72.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.55 ₽114

-10.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.55 ₽114

41.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.42 ₽621

-47.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.93 ₽364

14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.76 ₽720

-8.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.50 ₽111

56.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.24 ₽91.6

-14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.61 ₽119

-6.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.66 ₽123

-16.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.37 ₽27.07

210.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.55 ₽40.60

110.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.24 ₽17.62

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.63 ₽46.37

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.98 ₽146

15.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.42 ₽473

65.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.13 ₽83.5

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.34 ₽173

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.52 ₽38.48

65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$15.31 ₽1,130

170.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.88 ₽139

-21.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.48 ₽35.37

308.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.26 ₽609

-6.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.67 ₽49.14

41.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$29.3K ₽2.2M

-38.18%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$36.7K ₽2.7M

-27.80%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$148 ₽10.9K

-44.28%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$6.37 ₽470

49.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$5.00 ₽369

384.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$35.65 ₽2,630

-27.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.78 ₽426

-32.01%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$324 ₽23.9K

-4.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,940 ₽512.1K

-14.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$87.2 ₽6,435

-32.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$31.26 ₽2,307

3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$108 ₽7,993

-5.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$90.6 ₽6,687

19.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$446 ₽32.9K

6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$299 ₽22.1K

26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$750 ₽55.3K

11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$501 ₽37.0K

44.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,455 ₽181.1K

13.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,831 ₽135.1K

-33.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zhukovsky: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $446 in Zhukovsky. 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 $50.0 in Zhukovsky. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $171 in Zhukovsky – so Zhukovsky wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Zhukovsky: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,519 in Zhukovsky. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhukovsky, 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 $50.0 in Zhukovsky. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 170% less in Zhukovsky. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhukovsky, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Zhukovsky it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhukovsky – 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 Zhukovsky. 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.