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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $289 in Begusarai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $512 in Begusarai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $734 in Begusarai.

Living in Medellin is roughly 252% more expensive than Begusarai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Begusarai 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.34 ₹223

154.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$8.20 ₹780

306.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.57 ₹339

102.52%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.42 ₹135

14.79%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.30 ₹28.91

263.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.09 ₹8.40

711.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.21 ₹210

-21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.09 ₹294

4.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.60 ₹56.8

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.45 ₹43.09

186.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.52 ₹49.40

153.85%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$0.91 ₹86.8

149.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.23 ₹402

2.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.66 ₹253

121.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.35 ₹128

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.68 ₹64.3

57.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.95 ₹90.8

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.45 ₹43.19

215.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.24 ₹22.91

387.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.34 ₹32.71

244.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.24 ₹22.91

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.27 ₹25.74

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.51 ₹239

-10.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.44 ₹613

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.00 ₹191

-43.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.31 ₹220

3.03%

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

$6.57 ₹625

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.30 ₹28.77

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$8.75 ₹832

379.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.24 ₹22.96

487.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.15 ₹14.13

1166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.77 ₹169

337.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.22 ₹116

-17.21%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$11.6K ₹1.1M

52.07%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$17.3K ₹1.6M

53.05%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$12.89 ₹1,226

549.19%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$2.51 ₹238

276.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$7.24 ₹689

233.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$4.93 ₹469

413.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$10.17 ₹967

88.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$1.14 ₹109

259.65%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$50.6 ₹4,808

517.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$684 ₹65.1K

776.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$26.57 ₹2,527

118.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$27.42 ₹2,607

18.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$23.19 ₹2,205

329.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$30.95 ₹2,943

250.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$58.0 ₹5,518

731.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$40.38 ₹3,840

839.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$277 ₹26.4K

201.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$178 ₹16.9K

306.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$993 ₹94.4K

185.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$519 ₹49.4K

135.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,036 ₹98.5K

-47.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.05

48.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Begusarai: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $58.0 in Begusarai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Begusarai pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $8.00 in Begusarai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $92.0 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 252% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Begusarai earns 91% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $58.0 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 $8.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $289 in Begusarai – a 252% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $289 in Begusarai versus $1,017 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 252% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.