🙂A single person spends $962 per month in Novokuznetsk vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Novokuznetsk vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,019 per month in Novokuznetsk vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Novokuznetsk is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Novokuznetsk and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Novokuznetsk28% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.40₽686
$5.99COP 21.4K
56.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.41₽2,803
$32.86COP 117.4K
16.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.57₽406
$7.09COP 25.3K
-21.44%
Cappuccino
$2.35₽171
$1.71COP 6,115
37.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12₽82.1
$1.10COP 3,924
1.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48₽35.23
$0.78COP 2,781
-38.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.37₽99.8
$1.68COP 5,997
-18.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47₽180
$3.07COP 11.0K
-19.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.15₽83.7
$1.09COP 3,906
5.50%
White Bread(500g)
$0.71₽51.8
$1.26COP 4,508
-43.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.43₽105
$1.38COP 4,922
3.62%
Eggs
$1.77₽129
$2.19COP 7,827
-19.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.73₽783
$4.40COP 15.7K
143.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.72₽345
$5.63COP 20.1K
-16.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.82₽644
$8.89COP 31.8K
-0.79%
Apples(1kg)
$1.75₽127
$2.34COP 8,349
-25.21%
Banana(1kg)
$1.86₽136
$1.06COP 3,777
75.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.90₽139
$1.50COP 5,374
26.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76₽201
$1.38COP 4,924
100.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.79₽57.9
$1.15COP 4,111
-31.30%
Onion(1kg)
$0.70₽51.4
$1.16COP 4,155
-39.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.41₽103
$0.89COP 3,182
58.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66₽47.86
$0.84COP 2,997
-21.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00₽219
$2.28COP 8,145
31.58%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.79₽714
$10.64COP 38.0K
-7.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01₽74.0
$1.20COP 4,284
-15.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93₽141
$2.47COP 8,824
-21.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.49₽35.61
$0.86COP 3,056
-43.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.40COP 147.9K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.86₽135
$1.47COP 5,264
26.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35₽25.60
$1.96COP 7,009
-82.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.31₽461
$7.74COP 27.6K
-18.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.73₽53.7
$0.95COP 3,409
-23.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K₽2.5M
$18.1KCOP 64.7M
89.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K₽2.6M
$26.5KCOP 94.6M
34.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$110₽8,052
$82.3COP 293.7K
34.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.05₽442
$9.50COP 33.9K
-36.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.62₽556
$24.23COP 86.5K
-68.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.96₽2,552
$25.89COP 92.4K
35.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.00COP 67.9K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.15₽376
$3.93COP 14.0K
31.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$319₽23.3K
$309COP 1.1M
3.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,058₽515.1K
$5,965COP 21.3M
18.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.2₽5,050
$58.7COP 209.5K
17.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.28₽3,232
$32.35COP 115.5K
36.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115₽8,421
$103COP 366.4K
12.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107₽7,809
$108COP 387.2K
-1.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$443₽32.3K
$476COP 1.7M
-7.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$304₽22.2K
$379COP 1.4M
-19.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$773₽56.4K
$838COP 3.0M
-7.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$500₽36.5K
$724COP 2.6M
-30.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,791COP 10.0M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,211COP 4.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Novokuznetsk
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$424₽31.0K
$512COP 1.8M
-17.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.62
13.43
1.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Novokuznetsk: May 31, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Novokuznetsk versus $476 in Medellin. 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 21% 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 $38.00 in Novokuznetsk versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Novokuznetsk vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Novokuznetsk?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,443 per month in Novokuznetsk and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Novokuznetsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Novokuznetsk or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Novokuznetsk and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Novokuznetsk and Medellin?
Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Novokuznetsk or Medellin?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Novokuznetsk, where all-in costs run around $962, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Novokuznetsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Novokuznetsk or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Novokuznetsk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Novokuznetsk. 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.
Novokuznetsk vs other spots: cost of living compared