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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $300 in Cherthala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $502 in Cherthala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $704 in Cherthala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 239% more than Cherthala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cherthala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Cherthala 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$0.90 ₹85.2

561.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$9.82 ₹934

239.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.54 ₹242

184.65%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.14 ₹108

42.98%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.37 ₹35.56

194.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.12 ₹11.56

508.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.55 ₹147

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.66 ₹253

21.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.62 ₹59.1

69.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.39 ₹37.08

230.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.60 ₹56.9

120.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$0.82 ₹77.8

176.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.16 ₹491

-15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.68 ₹255

119.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.60 ₹247

-13.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.56 ₹53.2

91.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.56 ₹149

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.48 ₹45.94

195.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.51 ₹48.89

129.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.49 ₹46.28

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.40 ₹37.71

122.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.32 ₹30.82

181.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.08 ₹197

8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$1.90 ₹181

481.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.13 ₹108

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.70 ₹162

40.00%

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

$4.60 ₹437

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₹26.23

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$8.56 ₹814

390.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.19 ₹113

18.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.30 ₹28.16

533.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.59 ₹151

387.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.17 ₹112

-13.68%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$11.5K ₹1.1M

52.55%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$16.1K ₹1.5M

64.83%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$23.62 ₹2,246

254.28%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.49 ₹332

170.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$4.64 ₹441

419.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$11.66 ₹1,109

117.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.17 ₹682

166.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$1.72 ₹164

138.37%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$57.0 ₹5,420

447.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,556 ₹148.0K

285.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$7.93 ₹755

631.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$9.45 ₹899

244.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$37.65 ₹3,581

164.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$15.58 ₹1,482

596.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$123 ₹11.7K

293.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$75.9 ₹7,220

399.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$278 ₹26.4K

201.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$181 ₹17.2K

300.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$961 ₹91.3K

195.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$512 ₹48.7K

138.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$233 ₹22.2K

132.02%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cherthala: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $123 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 132% 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: $190 vs $91.0 – 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 239% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $450 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $300 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 $300, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $300 versus $1,017 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.