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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $674 in Zlatoust, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $952 in Zlatoust, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,230 in Zlatoust, rent included.

Medellin costs about 144% more than Zlatoust, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Zlatoust is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$5.26 ₽442

52.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.1K

$29.35 ₽2,467

64.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

$4.84 ₽407

94.63%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,070

$3.14 ₽264

-6.37%

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

$1.86 COP 5,754

$1.72 ₽144

8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,494

$1.17 ₽98.2

24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,915

$2.25 ₽189

42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.20 ₽353

35.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,443

$1.09 ₽91.3

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,413

$0.71 ₽59.3

238.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,245

$1.19 ₽100

42.86%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,925

$1.53 ₽129

88.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.1K

$10.67 ₽897

-5.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.8K

$4.97 ₽418

100.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.9K

$9.70 ₽816

46.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.71 ₽144

132.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,894

$1.77 ₽149

-10.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,646

$1.70 ₽143

26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,101

$3.00 ₽252

-23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,189

$0.72 ₽60.2

177.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,661

$0.72 ₽60.5

109.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,713

$1.53 ₽129

-21.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,959

$0.37 ₽30.72

245.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.68 ₽225

43.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.3K

$4.85 ₽408

188.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,273

$0.72 ₽60.4

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,468

$1.72 ₽144

59.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,847

$0.42 ₽35.48

197.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,030

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,702

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,186

$0.78 ₽65.4

74.36%

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

$27.5K COP 84.8M

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

$36.5K COP 112.8M

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

$169 COP 521.0K

$108 ₽9,079

56.21%

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

$13.57 COP 41.9K

$3.48 ₽292

289.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.5K

$7.15 ₽601

296.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 315.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$285 ₽24.0K

275.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$233 ₽19.6K

180.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$353 ₽29.7K

445.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$287 ₽24.1K

265.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$584 ₽49.1K

12.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zlatoust: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $285 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 12% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Zlatoust. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $187 – making Zlatoust 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 144%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,011 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.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Zlatoust. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zlatoust, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.