😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $340 in Burdwan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $543 in Burdwan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $745 in Burdwan.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 198% more expensive than Burdwan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin24% lower, Burdwan75% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99COP 21.4K
$1.44₹138
315.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86COP 117.2K
$11.70₹1,120
180.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.09COP 25.3K
$4.53₹433
56.51%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 6,105
$1.14₹109
50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,918
$0.30₹29.05
266.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,776
$0.11₹10.19
609.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.68COP 5,987
$1.70₹163
-1.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07COP 10.9K
$1.77₹169
73.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09COP 3,899
$0.57₹54.8
91.23%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,500
$0.37₹35.05
240.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,914
$0.53₹50.8
160.38%
Eggs
$2.19COP 7,813
$0.89₹85.1
146.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.40COP 15.7K
$5.42₹518
-18.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.63COP 20.1K
$2.68₹257
110.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89COP 31.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 8,334
$1.38₹132
69.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,771
$0.67₹64.0
58.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50COP 5,365
$0.80₹76.1
87.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,915
$0.61₹58.5
126.23%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COP 4,104
$0.26₹24.75
342.31%
Onion(1kg)
$1.16COP 4,148
$0.48₹46.25
141.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,176
$0.15₹14.34
493.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84COP 2,992
$0.31₹29.24
170.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28COP 8,131
$2.74₹262
-16.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.64COP 37.9K
$3.89₹372
173.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 4,276
$1.49₹143
-19.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47COP 8,809
$1.12₹107
120.54%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$7.62₹730
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.86COP 3,051
$0.28₹26.57
207.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.40COP 147.6K
$8.47₹811
388.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COP 5,255
$0.60₹57.1
145.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.96COP 6,997
$0.10₹9.18
1860.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.74COP 27.6K
$2.02₹193
283.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95COP 3,403
$1.19₹114
-20.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1KCOP 64.6M
$13.8K₹1.3M
31.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.4M
$21.2K₹2.0M
24.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.3COP 293.2K
$42.04₹4,023
95.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50COP 33.9K
$3.83₹367
148.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23COP 86.4K
$5.37₹514
351.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.89COP 92.3K
$15.65₹1,498
65.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00COP 67.7K
$6.85₹656
177.37%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93COP 14.0K
$4.16₹398
-5.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309COP 1.1M
$44.07₹4,218
602.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,965COP 21.3M
$1,573₹150.6K
279.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7COP 209.1K
$26.15₹2,502
124.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35COP 115.3K
$23.54₹2,253
37.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103COP 365.7K
$26.28₹2,515
290.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 386.5K
$17.29₹1,655
527.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$476COP 1.7M
$122₹11.7K
290.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.4M
$77.4₹7,404
389.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838COP 3.0M
$270₹25.8K
210.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$724COP 2.6M
$184₹17.6K
293.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,791COP 9.9M
$940₹89.9K
196.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,211COP 4.3M
$539₹51.6K
124.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$512COP 1.8M
$338₹32.3K
51.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
9.9
35.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Last update for Burdwan: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $122 in Burdwan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 52% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Burdwan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $85.0 per month, with Burdwan 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 Burdwan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Burdwan?
Medellin and Burdwan differ by about 198% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $340 including rent). Burdwan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Medellin or Burdwan?
Medellin pays 52% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Burdwan?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $122 in Burdwan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Burdwan?
Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $44.07 in Burdwan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 121% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $340 in Burdwan versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Burdwan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Burdwan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Burdwan?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Burdwan?
Expats usually find Burdwan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 198% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.