Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $433 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $673 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $914 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kolkata (Calcutta) costs roughly 57% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.29 ₹313

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-44.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.48 ₹1,092

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-65.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ₹471

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-31.54%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₹173

$1.63 COP 5,687

11.04%

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

$0.37 ₹35.25

$1.09 COP 3,821

-66.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.10

$0.73 COP 2,548

-82.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ₹162

$1.74 COP 6,065

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₹282

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-8.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 ₹63.9

$1.05 COP 3,662

-36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 ₹37.37

$1.29 COP 4,515

-69.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.0

$1.32 COP 4,617

-50.00%

Eggs

$0.98 ₹93.0

$2.27 COP 7,927

-56.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.31 ₹505

$4.35 COP 15.2K

22.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 ₹274

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-51.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ₹234

$2.25 COP 7,844

9.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.0

$1.07 COP 3,733

-24.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ₹125

$1.52 COP 5,322

-13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.8

$1.42 COP 4,964

-53.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.73

$1.17 COP 4,084

-67.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.1

$1.17 COP 4,077

-48.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹42.31

$0.89 COP 3,096

-50.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.12

$0.90 COP 3,146

-65.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 ₹385

$2.25 COP 7,837

80.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₹817

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-22.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₹165

$1.14 COP 3,977

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₹239

$2.38 COP 8,301

5.88%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$7.66 ₹728

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.87

$0.84 COP 2,916

-73.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.93 ₹279

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-93.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 ₹52.7

$1.41 COP 4,912

-60.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹30.92

$1.90 COP 6,634

-82.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ₹189

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-74.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹118

$1.01 COP 3,509

22.77%

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

$15.8K ₹1.5M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-10.29%

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

$22.3K ₹2.1M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-15.91%

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

$42.63 ₹4,054

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-49.06%

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

$3.91 ₹371

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-58.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.30 ₹694

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-69.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.82 ₹1,504

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-37.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.78 ₹1,120

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-38.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 ₹376

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-3.41%

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

$44.30 ₹4,212

$312 COP 1.1M

-85.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,564 ₹148.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-73.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.62 ₹2,722

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-50.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 ₹2,837

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-8.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.98 ₹4,753

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-49.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.68 ₹3,013

$109 COP 378.8K

-70.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 ₹15.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-66.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.1 ₹8,571

$379 COP 1.3M

-76.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₹35.8K

$837 COP 2.9M

-55.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₹18.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

-73.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,156 ₹110.0K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-59.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$580 ₹55.2K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-52.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$464 ₹44.1K

$541 COP 1.9M

-14.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

13.43

-26.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $161 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 17% 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: $11.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $112 vs $190 per month, with Kolkata (Calcutta) 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

Kolkata (Calcutta) vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolkata (Calcutta) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Medellin earns 17% less. 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: $161 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $433 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 1332% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $433 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kolkata (Calcutta) but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kolkata (Calcutta) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kolkata (Calcutta) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $433 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolkata (Calcutta) hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.