😐A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $371 in Aligarh, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $571 in Aligarh, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $770 in Aligarh, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 173% more than Aligarh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Medellin and Aligarh are more affordable than the global median – Medellin24% lower, Aligarh72% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99COP 21.4K
$3.68₹350
62.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86COP 117.4K
$7.81₹744
320.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.09COP 25.3K
$3.55₹339
99.72%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 6,115
$2.00₹191
-14.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,924
$0.24₹22.69
358.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,781
$0.10₹9.93
680.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.68COP 5,997
$1.89₹180
-11.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07COP 11.0K
$3.03₹289
1.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09COP 3,906
$0.76₹72.7
43.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,508
$0.42₹39.97
200.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,922
$0.85₹81.0
62.35%
Eggs
$2.19COP 7,827
$0.89₹84.7
146.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.40COP 15.7K
$4.55₹434
-3.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.63COP 20.1K
$2.82₹269
99.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89COP 31.8K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 8,349
$1.41₹135
65.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,777
$0.60₹56.8
76.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50COP 5,374
$0.89₹84.3
68.54%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,924
$0.46₹43.52
200.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COP 4,111
$0.29₹27.97
296.55%
Onion(1kg)
$1.16COP 4,155
$0.39₹36.91
197.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,182
$0.56₹53.7
58.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84COP 2,997
$0.32₹30.53
162.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28COP 8,145
$4.15₹395
-45.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.64COP 38.0K
$11.28₹1,074
-5.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 4,284
$1.58₹151
-24.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47COP 8,824
$2.82₹269
-12.41%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$3.28₹313
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.86COP 3,056
$0.36₹34.61
138.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.40COP 147.9K
$2.90₹276
1327.59%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COP 5,264
$0.28₹26.59
425.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.96COP 7,009
$0.22₹20.85
790.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.74COP 27.6K
$1.19₹113
550.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95COP 3,409
$1.12₹107
-15.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1KCOP 64.7M
$17.1K₹1.6M
5.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.6M
$21.4K₹2.0M
23.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.3COP 293.7K
$50.9₹4,850
61.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50COP 33.9K
$3.75₹357
153.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23COP 86.5K
$8.13₹774
198.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.89COP 92.4K
$9.49₹904
172.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00COP 67.9K
$3.50₹334
442.86%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93COP 14.0K
$2.93₹279
34.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309COP 1.1M
$79.7₹7,594
288.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,965COP 21.3M
$798₹76.1K
647.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7COP 209.5K
$27.45₹2,615
113.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35COP 115.5K
$30.98₹2,951
4.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103COP 366.4K
$49.41₹4,707
107.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 387.2K
$27.32₹2,603
296.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$476COP 1.7M
$57.5₹5,480
727.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.4M
$46.23₹4,403
719.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838COP 3.0M
$118₹11.2K
609.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$724COP 2.6M
$92.4₹8,804
683.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,791COP 10.0M
$1,991₹189.7K
40.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,211COP 4.3M
$260₹24.7K
366.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$512COP 1.8M
$1,034₹98.5K
-50.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
7.5
79.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Last update for Aligarh: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $57.5 in Aligarh. 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 102% higher in Aligarh, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $8.00 in Aligarh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $107 – making Aligarh 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
Medellin vs Aligarh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aligarh cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 173%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $557 in Aligarh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aligarh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Aligarh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $8.00 in Aligarh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Aligarh?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $371 in Aligarh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Aligarh?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aligarh, where all-in costs run around $371, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Aligarh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Aligarh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Aligarh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Aligarh. 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.