Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chengalpattu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chengalpattu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $345 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $536 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $726 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 398% more than Chengalpattu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Chengalpattu is 75% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$1.06 ₹100

657.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$9.17 ₹867

426.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$3.00 ₹283

225.67%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.61 ₹152

80.75%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.45 ₹42.46

331.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.20 ₹18.86

660.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.86 ₹176

66.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.15 ₹297

82.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.64 ₹60.9

112.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.44 ₹41.70

443.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.57 ₹53.9

198.25%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$0.97 ₹91.4

195.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$4.51 ₹426

120.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$2.82 ₹267

282.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.86 ₹176

119.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.70 ₹66.1

124.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$0.91 ₹86.0

134.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$0.51 ₹47.75

333.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.36 ₹33.66

469.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.41 ₹38.34

265.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.45 ₹42.45

164.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.29 ₹27.26

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.16 ₹488

-24.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$4.34 ₹410

232.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$2.04 ₹192

-22.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$3.20 ₹303

-11.56%

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

$3.36 ₹318

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.25 ₹23.35

368.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$7.43 ₹702

946.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.76 ₹72.0

68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.25 ₹23.40

736.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$1.60 ₹152

438.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.14 ₹108

14.04%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$12.4K ₹1.2M

122.45%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$19.7K ₹1.9M

80.68%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$35.64 ₹3,368

394.02%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$3.42 ₹323

290.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$6.50 ₹615

359.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$15.09 ₹1,426

196.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$4.72 ₹446

261.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$2.97 ₹280

108.75%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$48.53 ₹4,586

1534.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$1,434 ₹135.5K

529.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$22.01 ₹2,080

288.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$23.37 ₹2,208

150.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$38.14 ₹3,604

257.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$27.64 ₹2,611

273.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$98.7 ₹9,329

973.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$64.2 ₹6,069

957.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$190 ₹18.0K

957.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$136 ₹12.9K

758.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$730 ₹69.0K

463.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$457 ₹43.2K

272.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$589 ₹55.6K

12.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.75

25.03%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chengalpattu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $98.7 in Chengalpattu. 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 13% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Chengalpattu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $97.0 – making Chengalpattu 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 Chengalpattu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 398%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $517 in Chengalpattu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 946% less in Chengalpattu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $48.53 in Chengalpattu. 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 Chengalpattu, where all-in costs run around $345, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Chengalpattu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chengalpattu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chengalpattu. 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.