Cost of Living Comparison Between Dharan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dharan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $333 per month in Dharan vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $554 per month in Dharan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $776 per month in Dharan vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Dharan is about 67% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dharan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Dharan 75% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 NPR 341

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-62.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 NPR 2,840

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-43.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 NPR 1,007

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-6.63%

Cappuccino

$1.81 NPR 275

$1.71 COP 6,115

5.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 NPR 53.5

$1.10 COP 3,924

-68.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 24.72

$0.78 COP 2,781

-79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 NPR 399

$1.68 COP 5,997

55.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 NPR 542

$3.07 COP 11.0K

15.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 NPR 109

$1.09 COP 3,906

-33.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 NPR 52.8

$1.26 COP 4,508

-72.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 NPR 109

$1.38 COP 4,922

-47.83%

Eggs

$1.54 NPR 234

$2.19 COP 7,827

-29.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 NPR 1,149

$4.40 COP 15.7K

71.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 NPR 437

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-49.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.25 NPR 800

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-40.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 NPR 299

$2.34 COP 8,349

-16.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NPR 86.8

$1.06 COP 3,777

-46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 97.0

$1.50 COP 5,374

-57.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 NPR 58.0

$1.38 COP 4,924

-72.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 NPR 42.24

$1.15 COP 4,111

-75.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 73.8

$1.16 COP 4,155

-57.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 80.5

$0.89 COP 3,182

-40.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 NPR 32.19

$0.84 COP 2,997

-75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 NPR 453

$2.28 COP 8,145

30.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.93 NPR 446

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-72.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NPR 356

$1.20 COP 4,284

95.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NPR 512

$2.47 COP 8,824

36.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 NPR 29.56

$0.86 COP 3,056

-77.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 NPR 336

$1.47 COP 5,264

50.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NPR 122

$1.96 COP 7,009

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 NPR 562

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-52.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 NPR 201

$0.95 COP 3,409

38.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.4K NPR 4.9M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

78.57%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.8K NPR 6.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

53.87%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$27.04 NPR 4,116

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-67.12%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.90 NPR 747

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-48.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.45 NPR 1,743

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-52.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.88 NPR 1,961

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-50.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 NPR 438

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-26.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$21.79 NPR 3,317

$309 COP 1.1M

-92.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,694 NPR 410.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-54.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.66 NPR 1,927

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-78.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.14 NPR 4,131

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-16.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.17 NPR 4,441

$103 COP 366.4K

-71.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.40 NPR 5,083

$108 COP 387.2K

-69.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$39.47 NPR 6,007

$476 COP 1.7M

-91.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$20.34 NPR 3,096

$379 COP 1.4M

-94.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$88.6 NPR 13.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

-89.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.1 NPR 8,240

$724 COP 2.6M

-92.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 NPR 28.0K

$512 COP 1.8M

-64.02%

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 Dharan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $39.47 in Dharan versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 178% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dharan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $121 vs $188 – making Dharan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dharan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 204% more than Dharan, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $499 per month in Dharan and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dharan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dharan and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dharan, where all-in costs run around $333, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Dharan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $333 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dharan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.