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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $979 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,528 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,077 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

Medellin costs about 75% more than Zhukovsky, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Zhukovsky is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$6.12 ₽526

31.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$35.63 ₽3,058

35.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.81 ₽413

103.12%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.63 ₽226

10.65%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.95 ₽81.2

104.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.56 ₽48.35

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$0.99 ₽85.4

212.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$1.74 ₽149

229.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.19 ₽102

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.91 ₽78.3

162.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.97 ₽169

-13.71%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.05 ₽176

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$11.91 ₽1,022

-16.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.66 ₽486

90.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$12.19 ₽1,046

20.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.77 ₽152

131.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.72 ₽148

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.83 ₽157

16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$3.14 ₽269

-29.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.94 ₽80.4

118.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.49 ₽42.17

206.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.23 ₽105

-3.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.74 ₽63.1

56.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.01 ₽258

29.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$8.52 ₽731

69.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.42 ₽122

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.73 ₽235

3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.47 ₽40.57

148.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$21.41 ₽1,838

263.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$2.30 ₽198

-44.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.35 ₽29.79

497.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$6.36 ₽546

35.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.79 ₽68.0

64.56%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$48.9K ₽4.2M

-43.43%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$24.0K ₽2.1M

47.87%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$106 ₽9,115

65.78%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$6.66 ₽571

100.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$7.98 ₽685

274.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$34.60 ₽2,970

29.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.25 ₽450

18.10%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$328 ₽28.2K

141.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$6,737 ₽578.1K

33.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$60.1 ₽5,161

42.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$36.28 ₽3,114

61.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$142 ₽12.2K

-4.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$83.9 ₽7,200

22.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$437 ₽37.5K

142.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$310 ₽26.6K

118.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$755 ₽64.8K

166.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$539 ₽46.2K

116.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,113 ₽181.4K

94.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,415 ₽121.5K

20.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.12

-52.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Zhukovsky: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $437 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Zhukovsky. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $227 – making Zhukovsky 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 Zhukovsky: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 75%, 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 $1,469 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Zhukovsky. 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 $979 in Zhukovsky. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhukovsky, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.