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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $306 in Cherthala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $505 in Cherthala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $703 in Cherthala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 238% more than Cherthala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cherthala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cherthala 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$0.85 ₹80.3

596.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$10.04 ₹953

226.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.63 ₹250

173.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.19 ₹113

42.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.41 ₹38.46

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.14 ₹13.10

414.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.60 ₹152

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.75 ₹261

12.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.59 ₹55.9

79.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.42 ₹39.98

197.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.55 ₹52.5

152.73%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$0.82 ₹78.2

175.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.24 ₹498

-17.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.65 ₹251

120.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.60 ₹247

-13.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.59 ₹56.0

83.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.58 ₹150

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.45 ₹42.61

204.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.47 ₹44.38

140.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.45 ₹42.49

148.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.42 ₹40.02

102.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.32 ₹30.84

184.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.04 ₹194

14.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$1.90 ₹180

485.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.13 ₹107

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.71 ₹163

38.60%

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

$4.57 ₹434

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.30 ₹28.76

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$8.62 ₹819

377.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.18 ₹112

22.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.30 ₹28.36

536.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.59 ₹151

404.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.19 ₹113

-21.01%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$11.8K ₹1.1M

51.49%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$16.3K ₹1.5M

64.61%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$23.14 ₹2,197

262.83%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.36 ₹319

185.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$4.80 ₹456

403.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$11.67 ₹1,108

121.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$7.10 ₹674

168.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$1.69 ₹161

131.95%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$57.2 ₹5,434

435.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,556 ₹147.7K

280.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$8.01 ₹761

622.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$9.21 ₹875

245.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$38.52 ₹3,658

159.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$15.42 ₹1,464

594.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$124 ₹11.8K

291.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$76.5 ₹7,258

381.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$277 ₹26.3K

198.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$181 ₹17.2K

296.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$961 ₹91.3K

204.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$519 ₹49.3K

171.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$236 ₹22.4K

131.02%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cherthala: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $124 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 131% 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 $90.0 – 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 238% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $459 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $306 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 $306, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $306 versus $1,034 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.