Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zlatoust Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zlatoust

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $921 in Zlatoust, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,444 in Zlatoust, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,967 in Zlatoust, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Zlatoust, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Zlatoust are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zlatoust 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$6.17 ₽443

-3.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$38.08 ₽2,738

-12.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$5.88 ₽423

22.96%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.33 ₽168

-30.04%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$1.12 ₽80.6

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.48 ₽34.85

52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$1.42 ₽102

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$2.57 ₽185

25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.15 ₽82.5

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.66 ₽47.74

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.38 ₽99.2

-4.35%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$1.73 ₽124

31.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$10.65 ₽766

-59.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$4.97 ₽357

18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$8.82 ₽634

-2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$1.74 ₽125

29.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.83 ₽132

-41.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$1.92 ₽138

-20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$2.74 ₽197

-48.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$0.84 ₽60.4

39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$0.67 ₽47.87

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$1.41 ₽101

-36.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.67 ₽47.86

34.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$2.86 ₽206

-21.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$5.86 ₽421

88.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.00 ₽72.2

14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$1.89 ₽136

25.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.53 ₽37.95

58.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$1.87 ₽135

-24.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.35 ₽25.26

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$6.29 ₽452

23.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$0.77 ₽55.3

31.17%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$35.0K ₽2.5M

-49.72%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$35.8K ₽2.6M

-26.06%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$109 ₽7,852

-23.37%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$5.98 ₽430

58.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$7.68 ₽552

213.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$36.17 ₽2,601

-30.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$5.21 ₽375

-21.31%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$327 ₽23.5K

-4.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$6,957 ₽500.2K

-13.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$70.2 ₽5,048

-17.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$44.00 ₽3,164

-26.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$113 ₽8,134

-11.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$105 ₽7,564

3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$437 ₽31.4K

10.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$308 ₽22.2K

23.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$753 ₽54.1K

11.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$517 ₽37.2K

39.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$679 ₽48.8K

-20.30%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Zlatoust: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $437 in Zlatoust. 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 25% higher in Zlatoust, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Zlatoust. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $193 – 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 Zlatoust: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,381 in Zlatoust. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zlatoust, 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 $38.00 in Zlatoust. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zlatoust, where all-in costs run around $921, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Zlatoust it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zlatoust – 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 Zlatoust. 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.