🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $450 in Chandigarh versus $1,031 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $731 in Chandigarh versus $1,599 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,012 in Chandigarh versus $2,167 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Chandigarh costs roughly 56% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chandigarh66% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.12₹300
$6.16COP 20.0K
-49.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.08₹1,355
$32.60COP 106.0K
-56.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.53₹340
$7.34COP 23.9K
-51.91%
Cappuccino
$1.98₹191
$1.72COP 5,592
15.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40₹38.41
$1.05COP 3,416
-61.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20₹19.21
$0.77COP 2,511
-74.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.78₹171
$1.69COP 5,480
5.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88₹278
$3.17COP 10.3K
-9.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.77₹74.2
$1.05COP 3,418
-26.67%
White Bread(500g)
$0.57₹54.9
$1.30COP 4,230
-56.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.82₹79.1
$1.40COP 4,538
-41.43%
Eggs
$1.09₹105
$2.16COP 7,037
-49.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.49₹528
$4.39COP 14.3K
25.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.91₹281
$5.88COP 19.1K
-50.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$8.64COP 28.1K
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.05₹198
$2.28COP 7,415
-10.09%
Banana(1kg)
$0.75₹72.3
$1.11COP 3,599
-32.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.99₹95.7
$1.53COP 4,976
-35.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.56₹54.4
$1.35COP 4,405
-58.52%
Potato(1kg)
$0.39₹37.80
$1.13COP 3,669
-65.49%
Onion(1kg)
$0.45₹43.77
$1.13COP 3,687
-60.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.46₹43.96
$0.85COP 2,749
-45.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31₹30.32
$0.91COP 2,971
-65.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14₹398
$2.34COP 7,619
76.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.70₹1,126
$12.37COP 40.2K
-5.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66₹160
$1.20COP 3,904
38.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85₹275
$2.49COP 8,094
14.46%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$5.06₹487
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₹26.69
$0.84COP 2,724
-66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.68₹835
$40.57COP 131.9K
-78.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.79₹75.7
$1.42COP 4,617
-44.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24₹23.11
$1.92COP 6,227
-87.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.31₹126
$7.66COP 24.9K
-82.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.21₹116
$0.99COP 3,219
22.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.8K₹1.4M
$18.0KCOP 58.6M
-18.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K₹2.8M
$26.6KCOP 86.6M
8.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$47.68₹4,590
$80.8COP 262.7K
-41.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.34₹321
$9.95COP 32.3K
-66.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.17₹690
$24.18COP 78.6K
-70.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.79₹1,905
$25.08COP 81.5K
-21.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.31₹992
$19.15COP 62.3K
-46.16%
Cinema Ticket
$2.84₹273
$3.98COP 13.0K
-28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$61.9₹5,957
$305COP 992.2K
-79.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,966₹189.3K
$6,059COP 19.7M
-67.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.88₹2,395
$58.1COP 189.0K
-57.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.03₹2,314
$32.20COP 104.7K
-25.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$48.63₹4,682
$101COP 327.5K
-51.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.59₹3,138
$108COP 350.3K
-69.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$170₹16.4K
$477COP 1.5M
-64.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$104₹10.1K
$376COP 1.2M
-72.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$411₹39.5K
$845COP 2.7M
-51.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$267₹25.7K
$730COP 2.4M
-63.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,017₹290.5K
$3,215COP 10.5M
-6.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,782₹171.6K
$1,372COP 4.5M
29.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chandigarh
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$471₹45.3K
$617COP 2.0M
-23.65%
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: July 11, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $170 in Chandigarh and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 31% 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 $119 vs $193 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 129% 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 in Medellin?
On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Medellin. 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 compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $170 in Chandigarh versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Chandigarh compared to Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Chandigarh runs roughly 367% 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 in Medellin?
Childcare runs $61.9 in Chandigarh versus $305 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 in Medellin?
At $450 in Chandigarh versus $1,031 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 $450 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 129% 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