Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bilaspur Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bilaspur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $365 in Bilaspur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $601 in Bilaspur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $837 in Bilaspur, rent included.

Medellin costs about 178% more than Bilaspur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Bilaspur are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Bilaspur 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.38 ₹228

151.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$12.58 ₹1,203

161.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.37 ₹514

32.03%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.53 ₹146

11.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.28 ₹26.68

292.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.11 ₹10.50

609.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.36 ₹225

-28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.45 ₹330

-11.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.62 ₹59.4

75.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.39 ₹37.31

223.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.61 ₹58.3

126.23%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$0.86 ₹81.9

154.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.34 ₹320

31.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.80 ₹268

101.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.98 ₹189

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.73 ₹69.8

45.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.01 ₹96.4

48.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.50 ₹47.63

176.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.48 ₹46.07

139.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.43 ₹41.33

169.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.48 ₹46.39

85.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.37 ₹35.04

127.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.06 ₹388

-43.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.66 ₹637

59.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.01 ₹192

-40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.21 ₹307

-23.05%

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

$5.16 ₹494

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.30 ₹29.05

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$8.83 ₹845

368.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.42 ₹40.30

250.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.19 ₹18.55

931.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.41 ₹135

448.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.22 ₹116

-22.13%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$7,550 ₹722.5K

140.15%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$13.6K ₹1.3M

95.33%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$16.81 ₹1,609

389.29%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.58 ₹342

165.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$6.48 ₹620

273.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$14.51 ₹1,388

78.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$6.95 ₹665

173.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.85 ₹272

37.89%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$52.0 ₹4,979

494.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,546 ₹147.9K

285.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$34.47 ₹3,299

70.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$29.13 ₹2,788

11.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$40.83 ₹3,907

151.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$35.44 ₹3,391

205.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$123 ₹11.8K

287.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$76.1 ₹7,281

397.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$278 ₹26.6K

201.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$179 ₹17.1K

305.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$975 ₹93.3K

186.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$448 ₹42.9K

170.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$338 ₹32.4K

51.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.97

68.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bilaspur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $123 in Bilaspur. 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 51% 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 $13.00 in Bilaspur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $99.0 – making Bilaspur 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 Bilaspur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 178% more than Bilaspur, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $547 in Bilaspur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 90% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $13.00 in Bilaspur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bilaspur, where all-in costs run around $365, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Bilaspur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bilaspur costs $365 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bilaspur. 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.