Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ludhiana and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Ludhiana: $488 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ludhiana, India
Medellin, Colombia
Ludhiana
🇮🇳 India
$488
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ludhiana and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ludhiana and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $488 per month in Ludhiana vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Ludhiana $488
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $784 per month in Ludhiana vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Ludhiana $784
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,080 per month in Ludhiana vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Ludhiana $1,080
  • Medellin $3,186

Ludhiana is about 70% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ludhiana sits 64% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.48 ₹332
$8.09 COP 25.6K
-56.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.67 ₹1,016
$47.05 COP 148.9K
-77.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.58 ₹341
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-62.32%
Cappuccino
$1.93 ₹184
$3.01 COP 9,540
-35.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ₹38.34
$1.80 COP 5,693
-77.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 ₹23.90
$1.41 COP 4,469
-82.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.70 ₹162
$3.18 COP 10.0K
-46.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₹335
$5.75 COP 18.2K
-38.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.74 ₹70.7
$1.51 COP 4,778
-50.99%
White Bread (500g)
$0.51 ₹48.13
$2.38 COP 7,524
-78.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.78 ₹73.9
$1.77 COP 5,606
-55.93%
Eggs
$0.86 ₹81.9
$2.89 COP 9,146
-70.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.99 ₹379
$10.19 COP 32.2K
-60.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.09 ₹294
$9.87 COP 31.2K
-68.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.99 COP 44.3K
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.10 ₹200
$3.97 COP 12.6K
-47.10%
Banana (1kg)
$0.58 ₹55.3
$1.55 COP 4,911
-62.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.82 ₹77.6
$2.18 COP 6,907
-62.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.38 ₹36.53
$2.18 COP 6,910
-82.57%
Potato (1kg)
$0.26 ₹24.69
$1.96 COP 6,210
-86.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.32 ₹30.69
$1.59 COP 5,029
-79.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹41.24
$1.15 COP 3,625
-62.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32 ₹30.92
$1.24 COP 3,934
-74.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.48 ₹331
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-12.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.37 ₹1,178
$13.68 COP 43.3K
-9.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 ₹174
$1.66 COP 5,252
10.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 ₹291
$2.26 COP 7,145
34.96%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$8.39 ₹798
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 ₹52.0
$1.17 COP 3,696
-52.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.78 ₹1,502
$77.4 COP 244.8K
-79.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.55 ₹147
$1.27 COP 4,013
22.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.44 ₹41.72
$2.05 COP 6,480
-78.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.15 ₹204
$8.55 COP 27.1K
-74.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ₹105
$1.35 COP 4,262
-18.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.4K ₹1.3M
$34.1K COP 107.8M
-60.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K ₹2.1M
$34.7K COP 109.7M
-36.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.5 ₹4,995
$170 COP 536.8K
-69.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.10 ₹295
$13.55 COP 42.9K
-77.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.81 ₹554
$28.07 COP 88.8K
-79.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.33 ₹1,460
$43.70 COP 138.3K
-64.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.48 ₹427
$17.19 COP 54.4K
-73.94%
Cinema Ticket
$3.61 ₹344
$6.91 COP 21.9K
-47.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$72.3 ₹6,882
$797 COP 2.5M
-90.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,443 ₹137.4K
$9,112 COP 28.8M
-84.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.69 ₹2,065
$84.7 COP 268.1K
-74.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.15 ₹3,823
$58.0 COP 183.4K
-30.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.1 ₹6,671
$135 COP 427.1K
-48.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.40 ₹3,465
$97.9 COP 309.7K
-62.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$171 ₹16.3K
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-85.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$114 ₹10.8K
$642 COP 2.0M
-82.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$433 ₹41.2K
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-78.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$307 ₹29.2K
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-69.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$880 ₹83.8K
$4,170 COP 13.2M
-78.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$679 ₹64.6K
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-64.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ludhiana
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$423 ₹40.3K
$657 COP 2.1M
-35.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.17
10.94
-16.18%

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

Last update for Ludhiana: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ludhiana
$114
Medellin
$642 463% $528
Groceries & Markets
Ludhiana
$113
Medellin
$297 164% $184
Eating Out
Ludhiana
$80
Medellin
$170 112% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Ludhiana
$76
Medellin
$169 123% $93
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ludhiana
$61
Medellin
$211 244% $150
Sport & Entertainment
Ludhiana
$23
Medellin
$58 155% $35
Getting Around
Ludhiana
$22
Medellin
$94 331% $72

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $171 in Ludhiana versus $1,208 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 55% 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 $11 in Ludhiana versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $113 vs $297 – making Ludhiana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Ludhiana
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
09:34 9:34 AM
23:04 11:04 PM
10 h 30 min behind Ludhiana
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,232,000
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 95.21 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ludhiana Medellin 14,890 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ludhiana
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Ludhiana vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ludhiana and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $488 in Ludhiana, $1,639 in Medellin – Ludhiana comes out roughly 70% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Ludhiana compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $732 per month in Ludhiana and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ludhiana and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ludhiana, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $171 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ludhiana and Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $72 per month in Ludhiana and $797 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 164% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Ludhiana, where all-in costs run around $488, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Ludhiana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Ludhiana or Medellin?
Families tend to lean toward Ludhiana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Ludhiana and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Ludhiana. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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