😐A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $368 in Aligarh, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $567 in Aligarh, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $766 in Aligarh, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 356% more than Aligarh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Aligarh is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02COP 25.0K
$4.45₹427
80.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87COP 149.4K
$11.00₹1,056
335.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89COP 30.8K
$3.75₹360
163.73%
Cappuccino
$3.13COP 9,767
$2.40₹231
30.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91COP 5,954
$0.45₹42.98
324.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51COP 4,712
$0.09₹8.30
1577.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12COP 9,747
$1.55₹149
101.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75COP 17.9K
$3.10₹298
85.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,509
$0.67₹63.9
114.93%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,759
$0.44₹42.34
465.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,535
$0.78₹74.4
126.92%
Eggs
$2.96COP 9,235
$0.88₹84.2
236.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 31.4K
$4.80₹460
109.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12COP 31.6K
$2.80₹269
261.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30COP 44.6K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$4.14COP 12.9K
$1.20₹116
245.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61COP 5,019
$0.51₹48.53
215.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,007
$0.82₹78.6
174.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,028
$0.48₹46.39
368.75%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04COP 6,375
$0.25₹23.98
716.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,790
$0.34₹32.20
352.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17COP 3,651
$0.63₹60.5
85.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,077
$0.31₹30.01
322.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.2K
$4.88₹468
-20.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.7K
$10.27₹985
36.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74COP 5,439
$1.43₹137
21.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87COP 8,956
$2.86₹274
0.35%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$4.06₹389
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22COP 3,792
$0.32₹30.97
281.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5COP 251.1K
$2.53₹243
3081.03%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,084
$0.27₹26.00
385.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19COP 6,825
$0.22₹21.14
895.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.71COP 27.2K
$2.13₹204
308.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37COP 4,260
$1.03₹99.1
33.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KCOP 86.9M
$15.0K₹1.4M
85.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8KCOP 111.6M
$19.1K₹1.8M
87.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177COP 553.2K
$44.63₹4,282
297.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88COP 43.3K
$3.48₹334
298.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72COP 92.8K
$7.11₹682
318.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.88COP 140.1K
$10.53₹1,010
326.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12COP 53.4K
$3.17₹304
440.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.7K
$2.67₹256
149.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$813COP 2.5M
$71.7₹6,875
1034.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,187COP 28.7M
$712₹68.3K
1189.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5COP 279.3K
$18.95₹1,818
372.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0COP 184.0K
$27.86₹2,673
111.67%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$138COP 431.2K
$49.03₹4,704
181.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 318.7K
$23.52₹2,256
334.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,062COP 3.3M
$60.8₹5,835
1646.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663COP 2.1M
$41.26₹3,958
1506.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,888COP 5.9M
$106₹10.2K
1679.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027COP 3.2M
$84.6₹8,120
1113.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,183COP 13.1M
$1,988₹190.8K
110.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,675COP 5.2M
$257₹24.6K
552.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Aligarh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$678COP 2.1M
$1,048₹100.5K
-35.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
8.76
24.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Last update for Aligarh: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $60.8 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 55% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Aligarh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $102 – 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 356%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $553 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 in Aligarh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $11.00 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 and in Aligarh?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $368 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 living in Medellin or in Aligarh?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aligarh, where all-in costs run around $368, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.