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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $397 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $654 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $912 in Bhaktapur, rent included.

Medellin costs about 161% 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

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.86 NPR 282

218.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.97 NPR 2,881

72.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.56 NPR 541

102.25%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.00 NPR 152

70.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.50 NPR 76.6

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.15 NPR 22.07

380.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.80 NPR 274

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.77 NPR 269

75.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.70 NPR 106

51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.54 NPR 82.4

131.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.99 NPR 150

40.40%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.77 NPR 269

27.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.73 NPR 567

16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.18 NPR 483

83.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.06 NPR 921

45.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.27 NPR 345

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.08 NPR 165

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.20 NPR 183

27.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.69 NPR 105

98.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.52 NPR 79.2

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.71 NPR 108

57.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.41 NPR 62.6

107.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.23 NPR 35.02

295.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.82 NPR 429

-17.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.08 NPR 924

83.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.07 NPR 315

-42.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.54 NPR 385

-6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.14 NPR 21.97

464.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.12 NPR 322

-32.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.05 NPR 160

81.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.56 NPR 541

125.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.22 NPR 186

-22.95%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-43.07%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$40.9K NPR 6.2M

-34.45%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$33.06 NPR 5,021

153.96%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.91 NPR 746

95.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$9.91 NPR 1,505

143.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$18.24 NPR 2,770

41.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.07 NPR 466

27.69%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$18.12 NPR 2,753

1590.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,746 NPR 569.1K

57.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$18.24 NPR 2,771

217.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.84 NPR 4,230

14.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$58.3 NPR 8,853

71.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$40.22 NPR 6,110

166.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$106 NPR 16.1K

359.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$64.7 NPR 9,824

469.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$209 NPR 31.7K

295.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$146 NPR 22.2K

389.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$172 NPR 26.2K

216.55%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bhaktapur: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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.

Salaries run about 217% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Bhaktapur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $130 – 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 161%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $595 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $397 in Bhaktapur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $18.12 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 $397, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.