😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $450 in Bellary.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $724 in Bellary.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $998 in Bellary.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 125% more expensive than Bellary, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin24% lower, Bellary66% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99COP 21.4K
$3.46₹331
73.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86COP 117.2K
$17.37₹1,663
89.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.09COP 25.3K
$1.73₹166
309.83%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 6,105
$2.30₹221
-25.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,918
$0.24₹22.98
358.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,776
$0.10₹9.92
680.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.68COP 5,987
$2.27₹217
-25.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07COP 10.9K
$2.95₹283
4.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09COP 3,899
$0.54₹51.8
101.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,500
$0.48₹46.05
162.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,914
$0.60₹57.3
130.00%
Eggs
$2.19COP 7,813
$0.88₹84.3
148.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.40COP 15.7K
$7.48₹716
-41.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.63COP 20.1K
$3.81₹365
47.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89COP 31.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 8,334
$2.55₹244
-8.24%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,771
$0.80₹76.7
32.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50COP 5,365
$1.08₹103
38.89%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,915
$0.44₹42.10
213.64%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COP 4,104
$0.47₹44.86
144.68%
Onion(1kg)
$1.16COP 4,148
$0.54₹51.3
114.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,176
$0.48₹45.71
85.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84COP 2,992
$0.33₹31.41
154.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28COP 8,131
$4.11₹393
-44.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.64COP 37.9K
$10.62₹1,016
0.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 4,276
$2.14₹205
-43.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47COP 8,809
$3.38₹324
-26.92%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$7.54₹722
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.86COP 3,051
$0.30₹28.97
186.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.40COP 147.6K
$8.73₹836
374.23%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COP 5,255
$1.13₹109
30.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.96COP 6,997
$0.35₹33.63
460.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.74COP 27.6K
$2.36₹226
227.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95COP 3,403
$1.23₹117
-22.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1KCOP 64.6M
$14.2K₹1.4M
27.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.4M
$24.4K₹2.3M
8.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.3COP 293.2K
$34.92₹3,342
135.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50COP 33.9K
$4.92₹470
93.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23COP 86.4K
$10.91₹1,044
122.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.89COP 92.3K
$15.96₹1,527
62.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00COP 67.7K
$7.22₹691
163.16%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93COP 14.0K
$4.57₹438
-14.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309COP 1.1M
$117₹11.2K
165.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,965COP 21.3M
$696₹66.6K
756.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7COP 209.1K
$28.21₹2,699
107.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35COP 115.3K
$29.79₹2,851
8.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103COP 365.7K
$55.1₹5,271
86.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 386.5K
$39.65₹3,794
173.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$476COP 1.7M
$123₹11.8K
287.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.4M
$77.5₹7,415
388.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838COP 3.0M
$273₹26.1K
207.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$724COP 2.6M
$181₹17.3K
299.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,791COP 9.9M
$958₹91.7K
191.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,211COP 4.3M
$517₹49.5K
134.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$512COP 1.8M
$462₹44.2K
10.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
9.19
46.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Last update for Bellary: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $123 in Bellary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Bellary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $129 per month, with Bellary 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 Bellary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Bellary?
Bellary wins on cost – living expenses run 125% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bellary the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or Bellary?
Medellin pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Bellary?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $123 in Bellary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Medellin and Bellary?
Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $117 in Bellary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or Bellary?
Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or Bellary?
At $450 in Bellary versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bellary but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bellary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Bellary?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bellary delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $450 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bellary hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bellary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.