🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $384 in Birgunj versus $1,013 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $620 in Birgunj versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $856 in Birgunj versus $2,192 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Birgunj costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Birgunj71% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.43NPR 217
$5.99COP 21.4K
-76.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.86NPR 2,871
$32.86COP 117.4K
-42.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.68NPR 1,017
$7.09COP 25.3K
-5.78%
Cappuccino
$1.86NPR 283
$1.71COP 6,115
8.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54NPR 81.6
$1.10COP 3,924
-50.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14NPR 21.88
$0.78COP 2,781
-82.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.58NPR 393
$1.68COP 5,997
53.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68NPR 561
$3.07COP 11.0K
19.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.69NPR 106
$1.09COP 3,906
-36.70%
White Bread(500g)
$0.26NPR 39.48
$1.26COP 4,508
-79.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.68NPR 103
$1.38COP 4,922
-50.72%
Eggs
$1.74NPR 265
$2.19COP 7,827
-20.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.81NPR 1,188
$4.40COP 15.7K
77.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.59NPR 394
$5.63COP 20.1K
-54.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.04NPR 920
$8.89COP 31.8K
-32.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.26NPR 344
$2.34COP 8,349
-3.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.04NPR 159
$1.06COP 3,777
-1.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.20NPR 182
$1.50COP 5,374
-20.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.64NPR 97.6
$1.38COP 4,924
-53.62%
Potato(1kg)
$0.48NPR 72.5
$1.15COP 4,111
-58.26%
Onion(1kg)
$0.62NPR 95.0
$1.16COP 4,155
-46.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.16NPR 24.86
$0.89COP 3,182
-82.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.23NPR 35.13
$0.84COP 2,997
-72.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.86NPR 283
$2.28COP 8,145
-18.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.93NPR 1,207
$10.64COP 38.0K
-25.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33NPR 354
$1.20COP 4,284
94.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24NPR 493
$2.47COP 8,824
31.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.14NPR 20.98
$0.86COP 3,056
-83.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.40COP 147.9K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.22NPR 338
$1.47COP 5,264
51.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.10NPR 167
$1.96COP 7,009
-43.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.61NPR 550
$7.74COP 27.6K
-53.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22NPR 186
$0.95COP 3,409
28.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6KNPR 5.0M
$18.1KCOP 64.7M
80.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1KNPR 6.3M
$26.5KCOP 94.6M
55.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.23NPR 5,058
$82.3COP 293.7K
-59.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.61NPR 550
$9.50COP 33.9K
-62.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.91NPR 1,509
$24.23COP 86.5K
-59.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.34NPR 2,183
$25.89COP 92.4K
-44.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.00COP 67.9K
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.23NPR 339
$3.93COP 14.0K
-43.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$90.4NPR 13.8K
$309COP 1.1M
-70.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,822NPR 581.7K
$5,965COP 21.3M
-35.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.26NPR 3,844
$58.7COP 209.5K
-56.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.58NPR 4,198
$32.35COP 115.5K
-14.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$28.79NPR 4,383
$103COP 366.4K
-71.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.31NPR 2,786
$108COP 387.2K
-83.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$37.97NPR 5,780
$476COP 1.7M
-92.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$44.41NPR 6,760
$379COP 1.4M
-88.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$136NPR 20.7K
$838COP 3.0M
-83.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$88.4NPR 13.5K
$724COP 2.6M
-87.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$664NPR 101.0K
$2,791COP 10.0M
-76.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$493NPR 75.0K
$1,211COP 4.3M
-59.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Birgunj
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$512COP 1.8M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.08
13.43
-10.05%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Birgunj: June 1, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $37.97 in Birgunj and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Birgunj vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $139 vs $188 per month, with Birgunj 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
Birgunj vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Birgunj or Medellin?
Birgunj wins on cost – living expenses run 164% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Birgunj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Birgunj vs Medellin?
You'd need roughly $576 in Birgunj and $1,519 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Birgunj vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $37.97 in Birgunj versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Birgunj and Medellin?
Childcare runs $90.4 in Birgunj versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Birgunj vs Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Birgunj – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Birgunj or Medellin?
At $384 in Birgunj versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Birgunj but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Birgunj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Birgunj or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Birgunj delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $384 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Birgunj hard to pass up.
How safe is Birgunj compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Birgunj and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Birgunj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.