🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $342 in Budaun versus $1,013 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $543 in Budaun versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $744 in Budaun versus $2,192 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Budaun costs roughly 66% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Budaun74% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08₹199
$5.99COP 21.4K
-65.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.70₹1,119
$32.86COP 117.2K
-64.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.95₹282
$7.09COP 25.3K
-58.39%
Cappuccino
$0.60₹57.7
$1.71COP 6,105
-64.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29₹27.81
$1.10COP 3,918
-73.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13₹12.79
$0.78COP 2,776
-83.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.52₹146
$1.68COP 5,987
-9.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70₹162
$3.07COP 10.9K
-44.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.68₹64.6
$1.09COP 3,899
-37.61%
White Bread(500g)
$0.33₹31.94
$1.26COP 4,500
-73.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.59₹56.6
$1.38COP 4,914
-57.25%
Eggs
$0.72₹69.0
$2.19COP 7,813
-67.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.23₹405
$4.40COP 15.7K
-3.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.28₹218
$5.63COP 20.1K
-59.50%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$8.89COP 31.7K
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.19₹114
$2.34COP 8,334
-49.15%
Banana(1kg)
$0.48₹45.93
$1.06COP 3,771
-54.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.60₹57.3
$1.50COP 5,365
-60.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.48₹46.31
$1.38COP 4,915
-65.22%
Potato(1kg)
$0.26₹25.08
$1.15COP 4,104
-77.39%
Onion(1kg)
$0.33₹32.02
$1.16COP 4,148
-71.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.11₹10.56
$0.89COP 3,176
-87.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32₹30.34
$0.84COP 2,992
-61.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.61₹250
$2.28COP 8,131
14.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$2.59₹248
$10.64COP 37.9K
-75.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44₹137
$1.20COP 4,276
20.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29₹219
$2.47COP 8,809
-7.29%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$3.40₹326
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₹26.73
$0.86COP 3,051
-67.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.79₹841
$41.40COP 147.6K
-78.77%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.56₹53.4
$1.47COP 5,255
-61.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.11₹10.48
$1.96COP 6,997
-94.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.18₹113
$7.74COP 27.6K
-84.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.18₹113
$0.95COP 3,403
24.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$5,769₹552.0K
$18.1KCOP 64.6M
-68.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.5K₹1.6M
$26.5KCOP 94.4M
-37.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$50.1₹4,795
$82.3COP 293.2K
-39.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.20₹306
$9.50COP 33.9K
-66.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.39₹516
$24.23COP 86.4K
-77.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.21₹1,551
$25.89COP 92.3K
-37.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.20₹689
$19.00COP 67.7K
-62.11%
Cinema Ticket
$2.99₹286
$3.93COP 14.0K
-23.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$35.96₹3,441
$309COP 1.1M
-88.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,538₹147.1K
$5,965COP 21.3M
-74.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.11₹2,212
$58.7COP 209.1K
-60.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.70₹2,938
$32.35COP 115.3K
-5.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$39.93₹3,821
$103COP 365.7K
-61.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.77₹1,796
$108COP 386.5K
-82.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$122₹11.7K
$476COP 1.7M
-74.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$75.1₹7,183
$379COP 1.4M
-80.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$271₹26.0K
$838COP 3.0M
-67.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180₹17.3K
$724COP 2.6M
-75.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,069₹102.3K
$2,791COP 9.9M
-61.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$498₹47.7K
$1,211COP 4.3M
-58.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$512COP 1.8M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.49
13.43
-36.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Budaun: May 31, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Budaun and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $12.00 in Budaun vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $76.0 vs $188 per month, with Budaun 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
Budaun vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Budaun?
Budaun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 196% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $514 in Budaun 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.
What is the rent difference between Budaun and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $122 in Budaun versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Budaun runs roughly 371% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $35.96 in Budaun versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Budaun or Medellin?
At $342 in Budaun versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Budaun but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Budaun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Budaun or Medellin more family-friendly?
For families, Budaun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Budaun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 196% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.