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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $276 in Cherthala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $445 in Cherthala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $615 in Cherthala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 508% more than Cherthala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Cherthala is 80% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$0.75 ₹72.3

969.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$6.27 ₹602

663.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$2.37 ₹227

317.30%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.07 ₹102

192.52%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.32 ₹30.83

496.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.13 ₹12.36

1061.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.42 ₹136

119.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.41 ₹231

138.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.52 ₹50.2

176.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.39 ₹37.07

538.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.53 ₹51.0

233.96%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$0.80 ₹77.2

270.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.07 ₹486

98.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.29 ₹219

341.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.57 ₹247

61.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.53 ₹51.0

203.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.15 ₹111

95.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.36 ₹34.76

525.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.43 ₹41.45

374.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.41 ₹39.50

275.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.35 ₹34.01

234.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.30 ₹28.83

336.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.86 ₹179

109.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$1.84 ₹177

661.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.06 ₹102

64.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.53 ₹147

87.58%

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

$3.96 ₹380

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.16 ₹15.53

662.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$7.13 ₹684

1028.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.03 ₹98.8

27.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.26 ₹24.90

742.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.55 ₹148

461.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.11 ₹106

23.42%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$14.6K ₹1.4M

90.06%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$14.1K ₹1.4M

154.22%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$20.73 ₹1,989

755.28%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$3.43 ₹329

304.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$4.25 ₹408

599.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$10.24 ₹982

338.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$5.69 ₹546

200.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$1.53 ₹146

334.64%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$52.3 ₹5,015

1455.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,309 ₹125.5K

602.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$7.13 ₹684

1155.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$8.54 ₹820

590.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$35.47 ₹3,403

289.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$14.15 ₹1,358

621.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$123 ₹11.8K

764.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$73.1 ₹7,014

806.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$263 ₹25.2K

618.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$169 ₹16.2K

507.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$953 ₹91.4K

339.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$500 ₹48.0K

234.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$231 ₹22.1K

193.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.56

14.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cherthala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 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 194% 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 $6.00 in Cherthala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $83.0 – 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 508% more than Cherthala, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $415 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $6.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $276 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 $276, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $276 versus $1,681 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.