🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $455 in Chandigarh versus $1,013 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $739 in Chandigarh versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,023 in Chandigarh versus $2,192 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Chandigarh costs roughly 55% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chandigarh66% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.16₹303
$5.99COP 21.4K
-47.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.21₹1,360
$32.86COP 117.2K
-56.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.41₹327
$7.09COP 25.3K
-51.90%
Cappuccino
$2.00₹192
$1.71COP 6,105
16.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39₹37.50
$1.10COP 3,918
-64.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20₹19.12
$0.78COP 2,776
-74.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.71₹164
$1.68COP 5,987
1.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93₹281
$3.07COP 10.9K
-4.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.77₹73.9
$1.09COP 3,899
-29.36%
White Bread(500g)
$0.58₹55.9
$1.26COP 4,500
-53.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.90₹85.9
$1.38COP 4,914
-34.78%
Eggs
$1.06₹101
$2.19COP 7,813
-51.60%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.45₹522
$4.40COP 15.7K
23.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.03₹290
$5.63COP 20.1K
-46.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$8.89COP 31.7K
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.99₹190
$2.34COP 8,334
-14.96%
Banana(1kg)
$0.81₹78.0
$1.06COP 3,771
-23.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.97₹93.1
$1.50COP 5,365
-35.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.56₹54.0
$1.38COP 4,915
-59.42%
Potato(1kg)
$0.40₹37.84
$1.15COP 4,104
-65.22%
Onion(1kg)
$0.46₹43.88
$1.16COP 4,148
-60.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.49₹46.85
$0.89COP 3,176
-44.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32₹30.38
$0.84COP 2,992
-61.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.01₹384
$2.28COP 8,131
75.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.79₹936
$10.64COP 37.9K
-7.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72₹165
$1.20COP 4,276
43.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76₹264
$2.47COP 8,809
11.74%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$5.28₹506
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30₹28.89
$0.86COP 3,051
-65.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.50₹814
$41.40COP 147.6K
-79.47%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.78₹74.6
$1.47COP 5,255
-46.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24₹23.09
$1.96COP 6,997
-87.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.30₹124
$7.74COP 27.6K
-83.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15₹110
$0.95COP 3,403
21.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.5K₹1.4M
$18.1KCOP 64.6M
-19.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0K₹2.8M
$26.5KCOP 94.4M
9.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$47.95₹4,588
$82.3COP 293.2K
-41.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.47₹332
$9.50COP 33.9K
-63.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.14₹683
$24.23COP 86.4K
-70.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.33₹1,850
$25.89COP 92.3K
-25.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.12₹969
$19.00COP 67.7K
-46.74%
Cinema Ticket
$2.88₹276
$3.93COP 14.0K
-26.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$61.9₹5,925
$309COP 1.1M
-79.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,968₹188.4K
$5,965COP 21.3M
-67.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.50₹2,344
$58.7COP 209.1K
-58.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.07₹2,303
$32.35COP 115.3K
-25.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$48.81₹4,671
$103COP 365.7K
-52.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.30₹3,091
$108COP 386.5K
-70.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$174₹16.7K
$476COP 1.7M
-63.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$104₹9,920
$379COP 1.4M
-72.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$403₹38.5K
$838COP 3.0M
-51.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$271₹25.9K
$724COP 2.6M
-62.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,407₹326.1K
$2,791COP 9.9M
22.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,069₹198.0K
$1,211COP 4.3M
70.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$435₹41.7K
$512COP 1.8M
-14.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.3
13.43
-38.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chandigarh: May 30, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Chandigarh and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $14.00 in Chandigarh vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $188 per month, with Chandigarh 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
Chandigarh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chandigarh or Medellin?
Chandigarh wins on cost – living expenses run 123% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chandigarh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chandigarh or Medellin?
On paper, Medellin earns 18% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chandigarh vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $174 in Chandigarh versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Chandigarh vs Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Chandigarh runs roughly 387% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Chandigarh and Medellin?
Childcare runs $61.9 in Chandigarh versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chandigarh or Medellin?
At $455 in Chandigarh versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chandigarh but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chandigarh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chandigarh or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chandigarh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $455 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chandigarh hard to pass up.
How safe is Chandigarh compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Chandigarh 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 Chandigarh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chandigarh vs other spots: cost of living compared