Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Begusarai Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Begusarai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $261 in Begusarai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $469 in Begusarai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $677 in Begusarai.

Living in Medellin is roughly 545% more expensive than in Begusarai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Begusarai is 81% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.11 ₹202

273.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$7.30 ₹699

510.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$3.07 ₹294

202.61%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.59 ₹153

82.39%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.30 ₹28.54

503.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.10 ₹9.37

1450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.00 ₹191

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$5.83 ₹558

0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.50 ₹47.94

176.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.42 ₹40.07

483.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.54 ₹51.3

179.63%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$0.86 ₹82.3

223.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$2.03 ₹195

345.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$2.26 ₹216

371.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.34 ₹128

196.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.56 ₹53.7

146.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$0.85 ₹81.0

170.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.44 ₹41.82

359.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.22 ₹21.08

850.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.32 ₹30.38

409.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.22 ₹21.10

390.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.28 ₹27.04

346.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.77 ₹361

6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$6.35 ₹608

112.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.56 ₹149

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.04 ₹195

47.06%

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

$6.11 ₹584

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.27 ₹25.59

337.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$7.51 ₹719

964.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.17 ₹112

37.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.16 ₹15.47

1231.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$1.59 ₹153

435.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.09 ₹105

23.85%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$12.4K ₹1.2M

127.63%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$10.5K ₹1.0M

238.97%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$11.61 ₹1,111

1203.88%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$2.36 ₹226

455.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$6.24 ₹597

417.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$4.27 ₹409

985.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$6.33 ₹606

172.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$1.01 ₹97.0

536.63%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$54.3 ₹5,192

1438.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$627 ₹60.0K

1316.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$23.37 ₹2,237

282.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$25.21 ₹2,412

119.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$23.94 ₹2,291

470.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$28.04 ₹2,684

290.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$53.2 ₹5,090

1690.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$36.45 ₹3,488

1732.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$267 ₹25.5K

657.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$164 ₹15.7K

599.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$936 ₹89.6K

294.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$502 ₹48.0K

216.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,065 ₹101.9K

-41.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

9.46

10.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Begusarai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $53.2 in Begusarai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Begusarai pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $7.00 in Begusarai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $78.0 per month, with Begusarai 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

Medellin vs Begusarai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Begusarai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 545% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Begusarai. 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: $952 in Medellin versus $53.2 in Begusarai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Begusarai – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $45.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $261 in Begusarai – a 545% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $261 in Begusarai versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Begusarai but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Begusarai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Begusarai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Begusarai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 545% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.