😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $336 in Burdwan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $523 in Burdwan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $710 in Burdwan.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 389% more expensive than in Burdwan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Burdwan is 76% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$1.24₹118
548.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$10.44₹997
362.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$4.09₹390
130.32%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$1.03₹98.4
185.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$0.20₹19.09
830.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.11₹10.04
1227.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.82₹174
76.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$1.56₹149
266.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$0.49₹46.52
193.88%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$0.31₹29.59
674.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$0.41₹39.48
314.63%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$0.81₹77.9
256.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$4.84₹463
107.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$2.43₹232
310.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$1.27₹122
213.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$0.65₹62.2
143.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$0.71₹68.1
202.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$0.65₹62.3
253.85%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$0.25₹24.03
700.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$0.41₹39.32
268.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$0.14₹13.66
757.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.26₹24.77
392.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$1.61₹154
138.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$3.67₹350
281.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$1.46₹140
17.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$1.18₹113
132.20%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$6.74₹644
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.25₹23.69
400.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
$7.13₹681
992.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$0.56₹53.6
133.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.31₹29.16
600.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$1.88₹180
340.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$1.12₹107
21.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$14.0K₹1.3M
96.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$20.9K₹2.0M
74.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$54.9₹5,248
207.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$5.08₹486
167.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$4.86₹465
482.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$14.10₹1,347
224.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$6.51₹622
164.52%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$3.74₹358
77.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$45.77₹4,373
1655.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$2,012₹192.3K
356.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$21.31₹2,036
309.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$21.24₹2,029
179.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$25.83₹2,468
437.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$21.26₹2,031
379.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$123₹11.8K
769.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$74.9₹7,152
772.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$266₹25.4K
624.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$168₹16.1K
522.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$981₹93.7K
320.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$515₹49.2K
229.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Burdwan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
9.27
18.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Burdwan: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $123 in Burdwan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $10.00 in Burdwan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $78.0 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 in Burdwan?
Medellin and Burdwan differ by about 389% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $336 including rent). Burdwan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Burdwan?
You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $503 in Burdwan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Burdwan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $123 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 $803 in Medellin versus $45.77 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 284% 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 $336 in Burdwan versus $1,641 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 389% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.