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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $449 in Dehradun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $809 in Dehradun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,169 in Dehradun.

Living in Medellin is roughly 127% more expensive than Dehradun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Dehradun 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.35 ₹224

153.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$9.16 ₹871

263.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.13 ₹392

75.06%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.78 ₹170

-8.43%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.43 ₹40.97

153.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.17 ₹16.22

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.02 ₹192

-13.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.93 ₹278

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.69 ₹65.8

52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.49 ₹46.72

163.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.77 ₹72.9

71.43%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$0.86 ₹81.5

163.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.67 ₹444

-6.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.59 ₹342

63.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.90 ₹180

18.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.69 ₹65.6

55.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.80 ₹76.0

90.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.56 ₹53.1

153.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.35 ₹33.12

234.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.42 ₹39.61

178.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.55 ₹52.4

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.35 ₹33.17

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.40 ₹419

-48.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.85 ₹936

12.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.72 ₹164

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.32 ₹221

2.59%

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

$5.87 ₹559

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.30 ₹28.74

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$13.69 ₹1,302

206.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.85 ₹80.5

65.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 ₹22.88

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.07 ₹197

274.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.15 ₹110

-12.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$12.9K ₹1.2M

36.24%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.3K ₹1.9M

30.42%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$41.70 ₹3,966

100.67%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.75 ₹356

152.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$7.32 ₹696

229.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$16.41 ₹1,560

54.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$10.82 ₹1,029

76.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.58 ₹531

-26.52%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$64.8 ₹6,164

381.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,103 ₹104.9K

443.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$21.91 ₹2,084

164.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.93 ₹2,751

12.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$46.79 ₹4,450

112.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$43.19 ₹4,107

151.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$180 ₹17.1K

167.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$109 ₹10.4K

248.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$416 ₹39.6K

101.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$482 ₹45.9K

49.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$733 ₹69.7K

287.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$468 ₹44.5K

161.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$360 ₹34.2K

50.42%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dehradun: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $180 in Dehradun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 50% 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 $111 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 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 50% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $180 in Dehradun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% 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 $449 in Dehradun versus $1,017 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 127% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.