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: $431 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $926 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Kolkata (Calcutta) costs roughly 58% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 ₹296

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-47.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.85 ₹1,125

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-63.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 ₹478

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-30.00%

Cappuccino

$1.82 ₹172

$1.70 COP 6,140

7.06%

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

$0.41 ₹38.72

$1.10 COP 3,966

-62.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹14.95

$0.72 COP 2,605

-77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹170

$1.67 COP 6,022

7.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹271

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-7.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹68.8

$1.06 COP 3,809

-32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₹37.81

$1.25 COP 4,497

-68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.9

$1.39 COP 5,022

-50.36%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹96.6

$2.26 COP 8,168

-54.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.33 ₹506

$4.33 COP 15.6K

23.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ₹280

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-49.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 ₹231

$2.24 COP 8,099

8.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.5

$1.08 COP 3,882

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$1.53 COP 5,522

-17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.7

$1.37 COP 4,950

-52.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.28

$1.13 COP 4,078

-64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.6

$1.12 COP 4,036

-46.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₹42.57

$0.85 COP 3,057

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.90

$0.91 COP 3,281

-67.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ₹366

$2.33 COP 8,414

65.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 ₹883

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹159

$1.19 COP 4,309

40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₹231

$2.37 COP 8,553

2.53%

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

$7.42 ₹705

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.90

$0.79 COP 2,838

-69.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.82 ₹268

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-93.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹56.9

$1.44 COP 5,184

-58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.63

$1.91 COP 6,901

-83.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₹197

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-74.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹118

$0.94 COP 3,385

31.91%

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

$15.4K ₹1.5M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

-14.00%

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

$22.3K ₹2.1M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-16.68%

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

$41.22 ₹3,914

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-50.91%

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

$3.96 ₹376

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-58.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.35 ₹698

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-69.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.12 ₹1,530

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-37.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ₹1,101

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-39.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 ₹393

$3.92 COP 14.1K

5.61%

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

$43.87 ₹4,165

$306 COP 1.1M

-85.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,598 ₹151.7K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-73.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.71 ₹2,726

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-50.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.95 ₹2,843

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-5.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 ₹4,765

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-49.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.26 ₹2,968

$107 COP 386.8K

-70.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 ₹15.3K

$487 COP 1.8M

-66.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.7 ₹8,328

$368 COP 1.3M

-76.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₹36.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

-53.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₹18.5K

$716 COP 2.6M

-72.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 ₹110.0K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-60.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$564 ₹53.5K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-59.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 ₹40.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

-22.73%

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): April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 29% 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: $12.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $114 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 140% 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 29% 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: $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $431 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 1359% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $431 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,034 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 $431 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 140% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.