Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bhaktapur Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bhaktapur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $396 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $639 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $882 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Medellin costs about 160% more than Bhaktapur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Bhaktapur are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bhaktapur 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$1.78 NPR 269

237.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$18.81 NPR 2,847

74.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$3.72 NPR 563

99.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$0.99 NPR 150

66.67%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.50 NPR 75.3

114.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.17 NPR 25.66

347.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.79 NPR 271

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.87 NPR 283

71.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.71 NPR 107

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.54 NPR 81.9

142.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.94 NPR 142

42.55%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.85 NPR 280

18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$3.61 NPR 546

22.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.09 NPR 467

84.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$6.15 NPR 931

38.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.26 NPR 342

3.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.06 NPR 160

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.25 NPR 190

21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.70 NPR 105

95.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.52 NPR 78.5

121.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.67 NPR 101

76.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.38 NPR 57.8

121.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.23 NPR 34.93

273.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.84 NPR 429

-20.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$5.76 NPR 871

101.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.17 NPR 329

-44.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.49 NPR 377

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.15 NPR 22.29

426.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$2.24 NPR 339

-34.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.05 NPR 159

82.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$3.67 NPR 555

111.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.24 NPR 188

-18.55%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$31.6K NPR 4.8M

-44.19%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$40.4K NPR 6.1M

-34.46%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$32.42 NPR 4,905

150.15%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$4.91 NPR 743

92.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$9.87 NPR 1,494

141.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$18.29 NPR 2,767

42.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.05 NPR 461

34.10%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$18.38 NPR 2,781

1611.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$3,752 NPR 567.7K

60.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$18.12 NPR 2,742

229.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$27.59 NPR 4,174

15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$57.6 NPR 8,719

75.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$39.74 NPR 6,013

164.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$106 NPR 16.1K

356.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$64.2 NPR 9,707

469.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$203 NPR 30.8K

306.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$144 NPR 21.8K

407.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.08

11.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bhaktapur: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $106 in Bhaktapur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Bhaktapur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $129 – making Bhaktapur 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 Bhaktapur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 160%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $594 in Bhaktapur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bhaktapur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $396 in Bhaktapur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $18.38 in Bhaktapur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bhaktapur, where all-in costs run around $396, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Bhaktapur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bhaktapur – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bhaktapur. 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.