Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dehradun Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dehradun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $460 in Dehradun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $823 in Dehradun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,185 in Dehradun.

Living in Medellin is roughly 125% more expensive than Dehradun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dehradun 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.39 ₹227

147.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$9.31 ₹884

251.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.98 ₹378

80.90%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.75 ₹167

-2.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.44 ₹41.82

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.19 ₹17.60

278.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.02 ₹192

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.93 ₹278

5.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.75 ₹71.5

41.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.45 ₹43.08

177.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.71 ₹67.3

95.77%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$0.90 ₹85.5

151.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.66 ₹442

-7.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.54 ₹336

64.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.95 ₹185

14.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.68 ₹65.0

58.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.79 ₹75.3

93.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.55 ₹52.2

149.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.35 ₹32.77

222.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.45 ₹42.65

148.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.55 ₹52.5

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.38 ₹35.79

139.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.37 ₹415

-46.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.30 ₹978

8.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.71 ₹162

-30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.33 ₹221

1.72%

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

$5.96 ₹565

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.30 ₹28.62

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$13.99 ₹1,329

194.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.79 ₹74.7

82.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.22 ₹20.87

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.08 ₹197

285.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.14 ₹108

-17.54%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$13.0K ₹1.2M

38.08%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.3K ₹1.9M

31.69%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$40.89 ₹3,882

105.33%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.82 ₹363

151.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$7.28 ₹691

231.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$16.61 ₹1,577

55.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$10.82 ₹1,028

75.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.41 ₹513

-27.54%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$64.8 ₹6,149

373.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,111 ₹105.5K

432.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$21.67 ₹2,058

167.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$28.23 ₹2,680

12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$47.78 ₹4,536

109.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$43.43 ₹4,123

146.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$179 ₹17.0K

171.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$111 ₹10.6K

231.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$410 ₹38.9K

101.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$481 ₹45.7K

48.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$746 ₹70.8K

292.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$468 ₹44.4K

200.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$365 ₹34.7K

49.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.25

62.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dehradun: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $179 in Dehradun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $9.00 in Dehradun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $112 per month, with Dehradun cheaper across the board.

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 Dehradun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dehradun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 125% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 49% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $179 in Dehradun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Dehradun – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $460 in Dehradun versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dehradun but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dehradun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dehradun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Dehradun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dehradun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.