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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $376 in Bilaspur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $603 in Bilaspur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $830 in Bilaspur, rent included.

Medellin costs about 174% more than Bilaspur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Bilaspur are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bilaspur 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.32 ₹223

165.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$12.84 ₹1,238

153.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.42 ₹523

35.42%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.60 ₹154

7.50%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.28 ₹26.98

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.13 ₹12.35

492.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.36 ₹227

-28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.54 ₹342

-10.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.58 ₹56.2

81.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.40 ₹38.51

225.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.57 ₹54.7

145.61%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$0.82 ₹79.6

163.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.37 ₹325

30.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.92 ₹281

101.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.99 ₹191

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.71 ₹68.7

56.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.93 ₹90.2

64.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.53 ₹51.4

154.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.48 ₹46.48

135.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.44 ₹42.35

156.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.46 ₹44.01

84.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.34 ₹32.64

167.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.00 ₹386

-41.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.22 ₹696

71.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.01 ₹194

-40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.27 ₹315

-23.85%

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

$5.19 ₹500

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.30 ₹29.00

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.79 ₹847

361.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.43 ₹41.07

230.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.19 ₹18.04

910.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.48 ₹143

417.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.27 ₹123

-22.05%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$7,583 ₹731.3K

137.77%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$13.4K ₹1.3M

99.19%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$16.39 ₹1,581

393.04%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.56 ₹343

179.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$6.34 ₹611

281.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$14.71 ₹1,418

70.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.94 ₹669

175.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.94 ₹283

35.37%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$51.9 ₹5,000

488.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,519 ₹146.5K

298.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$35.21 ₹3,395

65.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.46 ₹2,841

9.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$40.99 ₹3,953

145.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$35.57 ₹3,431

202.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$124 ₹11.9K

285.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$76.9 ₹7,411

389.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$273 ₹26.3K

209.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$181 ₹17.5K

302.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$944 ₹91.1K

240.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$471 ₹45.4K

191.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$260 ₹25.1K

137.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bilaspur: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $124 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 137% 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: $193 vs $100 – 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 174% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $564 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 93% 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 $376, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $376 versus $1,031 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.