🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $339 in Budaun versus $1,031 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $535 in Budaun versus $1,599 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $731 in Budaun versus $2,167 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Budaun costs roughly 67% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Budaun75% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.12₹204
$6.16COP 20.1K
-65.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.41₹1,098
$32.60COP 106.1K
-65.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.96₹285
$7.34COP 23.9K
-59.67%
Cappuccino
$0.61₹58.5
$1.72COP 5,600
-64.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27₹25.67
$1.05COP 3,420
-74.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14₹13.05
$0.77COP 2,515
-81.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.49₹144
$1.69COP 5,488
-11.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78₹171
$3.17COP 10.3K
-43.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.67₹64.7
$1.05COP 3,423
-36.19%
White Bread(500g)
$0.37₹35.25
$1.30COP 4,236
-71.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.57₹54.6
$1.40COP 4,544
-59.29%
Eggs
$0.68₹65.9
$2.16COP 7,047
-68.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.29₹413
$4.39COP 14.3K
-2.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.39₹230
$5.88COP 19.1K
-59.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$8.64COP 28.1K
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.19₹115
$2.28COP 7,426
-47.81%
Banana(1kg)
$0.48₹46.33
$1.11COP 3,604
-56.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.60₹57.7
$1.53COP 4,983
-60.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.49₹47.36
$1.35COP 4,410
-63.70%
Potato(1kg)
$0.24₹23.05
$1.13COP 3,674
-78.76%
Onion(1kg)
$0.33₹32.04
$1.13COP 3,692
-70.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.12₹11.33
$0.85COP 2,753
-85.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35₹33.24
$0.91COP 2,975
-61.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.60₹250
$2.34COP 7,630
11.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$2.57₹248
$12.37COP 40.3K
-79.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43₹138
$1.20COP 3,909
19.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37₹228
$2.49COP 8,104
-4.82%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$3.41₹329
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30₹29.15
$0.84COP 2,728
-64.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.68₹836
$40.57COP 132.1K
-78.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.61₹58.3
$1.42COP 4,623
-57.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.12₹11.32
$1.92COP 6,235
-93.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.18₹114
$7.66COP 24.9K
-84.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.13₹109
$0.99COP 3,223
14.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$5,710₹549.7K
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
-68.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.0K₹1.6M
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
-36.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$51.7₹4,981
$80.8COP 263.1K
-35.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.20₹308
$9.95COP 32.4K
-67.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.59₹538
$24.18COP 78.7K
-76.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.80₹1,521
$25.08COP 81.7K
-37.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.81₹656
$19.15COP 62.3K
-64.44%
Cinema Ticket
$2.84₹274
$3.98COP 13.0K
-28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$36.47₹3,511
$305COP 993.5K
-88.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,559₹150.1K
$6,059COP 19.7M
-74.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.93₹2,208
$58.1COP 189.2K
-60.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.65₹3,047
$32.20COP 104.8K
-1.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$39.71₹3,823
$101COP 327.9K
-60.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.44₹1,775
$108COP 350.8K
-82.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$126₹12.1K
$477COP 1.6M
-73.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$75.4₹7,255
$376COP 1.2M
-79.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$278₹26.8K
$845COP 2.7M
-67.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180₹17.3K
$730COP 2.4M
-75.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$977₹94.1K
$3,215COP 10.5M
-69.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$440₹42.4K
$1,372COP 4.5M
-67.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budaun
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$617COP 2.0M
-
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Budaun and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $11.00 in Budaun vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $77.0 vs $193 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 204% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $508 in Budaun and $1,546 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: $126 in Budaun versus $477 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 367% 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 $36.47 in Budaun versus $305 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 living in Budaun or in Medellin?
At $339 in Budaun versus $1,031 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 204% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.