Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cherthala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cherthala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $301 in Cherthala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $497 in Cherthala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $693 in Cherthala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 233% more than Cherthala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cherthala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Cherthala 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$0.84 ₹80.3

603.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$10.07 ₹961

227.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.66 ₹254

179.32%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.14 ₹109

44.74%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.40 ₹38.42

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.12 ₹11.72

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.55 ₹148

10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.78 ₹265

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.63 ₹60.5

74.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.42 ₹40.25

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.61 ₹58.0

126.23%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$0.81 ₹77.1

169.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.36 ₹511

-16.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.69 ₹256

115.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.63 ₹250

-11.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.59 ₹56.7

79.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.57 ₹149

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.48 ₹46.06

183.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.51 ₹48.79

121.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.45 ₹43.20

160.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.40 ₹38.04

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.36 ₹33.91

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.13 ₹203

4.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$1.90 ₹181

537.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.17 ₹112

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.73 ₹165

43.35%

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

$4.65 ₹443

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.30 ₹28.88

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$8.57 ₹817

385.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.19 ₹114

19.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.32 ₹30.91

509.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.65 ₹158

378.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.22 ₹117

-18.85%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$11.6K ₹1.1M

52.14%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$16.3K ₹1.5M

64.91%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$22.99 ₹2,192

261.07%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$3.45 ₹329

181.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$4.83 ₹461

386.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$11.59 ₹1,106

117.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.22 ₹689

164.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$1.72 ₹164

129.65%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$58.5 ₹5,578

440.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,527 ₹145.6K

291.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$8.02 ₹765

648.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$9.32 ₹889

241.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$38.40 ₹3,662

164.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$15.53 ₹1,481

591.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$126 ₹12.0K

276.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$75.2 ₹7,174

397.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$277 ₹26.4K

206.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$183 ₹17.4K

293.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,007 ₹96.1K

224.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$524 ₹49.9K

175.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$239 ₹22.8K

161.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.36

43.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cherthala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $126 in Cherthala. 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 162% 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 $10.00 in Cherthala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $93.0 – making Cherthala 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 Cherthala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 233% more than Cherthala, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $452 in Cherthala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $10.00 in Cherthala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $301 in Cherthala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cherthala, where all-in costs run around $301, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Cherthala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cherthala costs $301 versus $1,003 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 Cherthala. 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.