Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $508 in Kathmandu versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $787 in Kathmandu versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Kathmandu versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kathmandu costs roughly 49% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kathmandu 62% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 NPR 273

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-69.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.21 NPR 2,932

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-41.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 NPR 1,022

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-9.83%

Cappuccino

$1.92 NPR 293

$1.65 COP 5,207

16.36%

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

$0.54 NPR 83.1

$1.10 COP 3,468

-50.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 29.56

$0.78 COP 2,458

-75.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 NPR 386

$1.72 COP 5,412

47.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 NPR 540

$3.18 COP 10.0K

11.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 NPR 133

$1.10 COP 3,474

-20.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 NPR 89.1

$1.26 COP 3,962

-53.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 NPR 145

$1.38 COP 4,349

-31.16%

Eggs

$1.84 NPR 281

$2.18 COP 6,858

-15.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 NPR 1,407

$4.49 COP 14.1K

105.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 NPR 473

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-46.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.04 NPR 921

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-32.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 NPR 346

$2.32 COP 7,308

-2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 NPR 166

$1.06 COP 3,352

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 NPR 183

$1.52 COP 4,774

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 98.9

$1.36 COP 4,270

-52.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 72.9

$1.13 COP 3,552

-57.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 NPR 102

$1.17 COP 3,689

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 NPR 75.6

$0.90 COP 2,838

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.40

$0.90 COP 2,823

-70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 NPR 448

$2.23 COP 7,034

31.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 NPR 1,352

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-26.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NPR 357

$1.19 COP 3,743

96.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NPR 499

$2.48 COP 7,815

31.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 NPR 31.98

$0.85 COP 2,687

-75.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.03 NPR 1,683

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-73.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 NPR 337

$1.42 COP 4,459

55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 NPR 162

$1.95 COP 6,141

-45.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 NPR 569

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-52.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NPR 189

$0.99 COP 3,118

25.25%

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

$31.4K NPR 4.8M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

78.40%

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

$41.4K NPR 6.3M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

54.35%

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

$33.18 NPR 5,064

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-60.03%

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

$4.95 NPR 756

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-48.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.65 NPR 1,473

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-58.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 NPR 3,349

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-13.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 NPR 1,137

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-60.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 NPR 491

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-18.73%

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

$91.0 NPR 13.9K

$316 COP 994.2K

-71.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,763 NPR 574.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-37.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.49 NPR 3,737

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-59.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.13 NPR 4,293

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-11.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 NPR 9,033

$102 COP 320.1K

-41.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.39 NPR 6,164

$107 COP 338.3K

-62.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 NPR 30.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

-58.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 NPR 15.1K

$374 COP 1.2M

-73.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 NPR 52.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

-59.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 NPR 28.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-74.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,331 NPR 355.7K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-28.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 NPR 201.0K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-8.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 NPR 41.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

-56.92%

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 Kathmandu: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Kathmandu and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 132% 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: $19.00 in Kathmandu vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $193 per month, with Kathmandu 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

Kathmandu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 132% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $198 in Kathmandu versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $508 per month in Kathmandu versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $508 in Kathmandu versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kathmandu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kathmandu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $508 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.