Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhilai and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhilai and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $307 in Bhilai versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $503 in Bhilai versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $698 in Bhilai versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Bhilai costs roughly 70% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bhilai 77% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 ₹248

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-56.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.24 ₹785

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-74.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 ₹310

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-54.16%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₹172

$1.71 COP 6,115

5.85%

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

$0.28 ₹26.61

$1.10 COP 3,924

-74.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ₹20.30

$0.78 COP 2,781

-73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₹145

$1.68 COP 5,997

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₹296

$3.07 COP 11.0K

0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 ₹64.2

$1.09 COP 3,906

-38.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 ₹30.60

$1.26 COP 4,508

-74.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.9

$1.38 COP 4,922

-50.72%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹88.2

$2.19 COP 7,827

-57.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 ₹439

$4.40 COP 15.7K

4.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ₹262

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-50.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ₹203

$2.34 COP 8,349

-8.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.1

$1.06 COP 3,777

-47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 ₹58.0

$1.50 COP 5,374

-59.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.48

$1.38 COP 4,924

-68.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.20

$1.15 COP 4,111

-66.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.74

$1.16 COP 4,155

-59.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 ₹22.87

$0.89 COP 3,182

-73.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₹25.66

$0.84 COP 2,997

-67.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 ₹224

$2.28 COP 8,145

3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.62 ₹440

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-56.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₹90.5

$1.20 COP 4,284

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹219

$2.47 COP 8,824

-6.88%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.09 ₹390

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.99

$0.86 COP 3,056

-72.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.95 ₹281

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-92.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹108

$1.47 COP 5,264

-22.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.89

$1.96 COP 7,009

-87.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 ₹165

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-77.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹112

$0.95 COP 3,409

24.21%

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

$11.7K ₹1.1M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-35.54%

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

$19.8K ₹1.9M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-25.17%

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

$23.59 ₹2,247

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-71.32%

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

$3.76 ₹358

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-60.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.08 ₹579

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-74.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$3.40 ₹324

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-86.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.83 ₹651

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-64.05%

Cinema Ticket

$1.70 ₹162

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-56.74%

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

$57.1 ₹5,440

$309 COP 1.1M

-81.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,503 ₹143.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-74.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 ₹1,649

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-70.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.68 ₹1,684

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$17.11 ₹1,630

$103 COP 366.4K

-83.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.43 ₹2,613

$108 COP 387.2K

-74.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ₹11.8K

$476 COP 1.7M

-73.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.9 ₹6,561

$379 COP 1.4M

-81.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₹25.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-67.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-75.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$647 ₹61.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

26.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-40.43%

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

Last update for Bhilai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Bhilai and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bhilai pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Bhilai vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $188 per month, with Bhilai cheaper across the board.

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

Bhilai vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bhilai and Medellin differ by about 230% in total monthly costs ($307 vs $1,013 including rent). Bhilai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bhilai pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $124 in Bhilai versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.1 in Bhilai versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 116% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $307 in Bhilai versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bhilai but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bhilai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bhilai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 230% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.