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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $339 per month in Dharan vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $554 per month in Dharan vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $770 per month in Dharan vs $2,167 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 NPR 325

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-65.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.57 NPR 2,852

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-43.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 NPR 1,034

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-8.31%

Cappuccino

$1.80 NPR 277

$1.72 COP 5,600

4.65%

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

$0.33 NPR 49.99

$1.05 COP 3,420

-68.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 NPR 20.08

$0.77 COP 2,515

-83.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 NPR 392

$1.69 COP 5,488

50.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NPR 548

$3.17 COP 10.3K

12.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 NPR 110

$1.05 COP 3,423

-32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 NPR 52.7

$1.30 COP 4,236

-73.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 NPR 114

$1.40 COP 4,544

-47.14%

Eggs

$1.56 NPR 240

$2.16 COP 7,047

-27.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 NPR 1,109

$4.39 COP 14.3K

64.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 NPR 460

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-48.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 NPR 775

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-41.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 NPR 313

$2.28 COP 7,426

-10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 NPR 82.7

$1.11 COP 3,604

-51.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 98.5

$1.53 COP 4,983

-58.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.8

$1.35 COP 4,410

-71.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 NPR 42.99

$1.13 COP 3,674

-75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 NPR 81.7

$1.13 COP 3,692

-53.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 81.5

$0.85 COP 2,753

-37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 NPR 35.03

$0.91 COP 2,975

-74.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 NPR 438

$2.34 COP 7,630

21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.92 NPR 448

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-76.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NPR 346

$1.20 COP 3,909

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NPR 489

$2.49 COP 8,104

28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.25

$0.84 COP 2,728

-72.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 NPR 326

$1.42 COP 4,623

49.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NPR 118

$1.92 COP 6,235

-59.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 NPR 574

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-51.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 NPR 204

$0.99 COP 3,223

34.34%

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

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

80.44%

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

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

52.77%

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

$26.71 NPR 4,103

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-66.95%

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

$4.74 NPR 729

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-52.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 NPR 1,801

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-51.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.51 NPR 1,921

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-50.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 NPR 445

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-27.14%

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

$22.20 NPR 3,410

$305 COP 993.5K

-92.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,760 NPR 424.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-54.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.81 NPR 1,967

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-77.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.50 NPR 4,224

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-14.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.15 NPR 4,477

$101 COP 327.9K

-71.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.95 NPR 5,062

$108 COP 350.8K

-69.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$39.61 NPR 6,085

$477 COP 1.6M

-91.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$20.34 NPR 3,124

$376 COP 1.2M

-94.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$88.6 NPR 13.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

-89.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.2 NPR 8,322

$730 COP 2.4M

-92.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$131 NPR 20.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

-78.73%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $39.61 in Dharan versus $477 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 370% 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: $120 vs $193 – 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 $508 per month in Dharan and $1,546 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 61% 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 $339, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $339 versus $1,031 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.