😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $351 in Bellary.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $589 in Bellary.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $826 in Bellary.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 368% more expensive than in Bellary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Bellary is 75% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$0.65₹62.1
1136.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$18.79₹1,796
157.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$1.61₹154
485.09%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$2.27₹217
29.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$0.20₹19.09
830.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.12₹11.63
1116.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.78₹170
80.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$2.03₹194
181.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$0.57₹54.6
152.63%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$0.49₹46.77
389.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$0.60₹57.5
183.33%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$0.75₹71.9
285.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$6.19₹591
62.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$3.72₹356
168.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$2.11₹202
88.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$0.52₹49.44
203.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$1.13₹108
90.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$0.39₹37.71
489.74%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$0.36₹34.36
455.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$0.39₹37.04
287.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$0.46₹44.02
160.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.31₹29.29
312.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$3.18₹304
20.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$9.09₹869
54.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$1.27₹121
34.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$2.94₹281
-6.80%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$6.58₹629
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.25₹23.69
400.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
$7.14₹682
991.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$1.08₹103
21.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.14₹13.33
1450.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$2.16₹206
283.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$1.05₹100
29.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$12.0K₹1.2M
128.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$18.6K₹1.8M
96.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$29.68₹2,836
468.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$3.08₹294
340.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$9.22₹881
207.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$14.14₹1,351
223.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$6.32₹604
172.47%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$2.57₹245
158.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$107₹10.2K
652.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$1,408₹134.6K
552.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$7.24₹692
1106.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$29.95₹2,861
98.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$26.58₹2,540
422.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$38.59₹3,687
164.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$124₹11.9K
760.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$72.5₹6,929
800.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$269₹25.7K
615.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$169₹16.2K
518.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$959₹91.7K
329.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$509₹48.7K
233.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Bellary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$467₹44.6K
40.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
8.52
28.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Bellary: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $124 in Bellary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 40% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $19.00 in Bellary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $111 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 368% 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 in Bellary?
Average pay runs 40% higher in Medellin, 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 compared to Bellary?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $124 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 in Bellary?
Childcare runs $803 in Medellin versus $107 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 in Bellary?
Supermarket bills run roughly 170% 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 in Bellary?
At $351 in Bellary versus $1,641 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 $351 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 368% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.