Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dhanbad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dhanbad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $327 in Dhanbad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $514 in Dhanbad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $702 in Dhanbad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 217% more than Dhanbad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Dhanbad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Dhanbad 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.26 ₹215

161.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$7.08 ₹673

362.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.44 ₹327

109.30%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.90 ₹85.6

88.89%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.28 ₹26.19

292.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.18 ₹17.38

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.26 ₹214

-26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.67 ₹443

-33.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.62 ₹59.2

70.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.45 ₹43.03

177.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.54 ₹50.9

157.41%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.07 ₹101

111.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.02 ₹381

7.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.66 ₹253

119.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.41 ₹134

58.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.82 ₹77.5

31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.78 ₹74.3

96.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.42 ₹40.25

226.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.24 ₹22.59

370.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.46 ₹43.28

143.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.22 ₹20.86

286.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.22 ₹20.78

313.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.50 ₹237

-6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$3.15 ₹299

253.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.08 ₹197

-42.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.40 ₹228

-1.25%

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

$6.58 ₹624

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.34 ₹32.18

132.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$8.78 ₹834

368.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.14 ₹108

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.10 ₹9.97

1810.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.18 ₹112

579.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.18 ₹112

-20.34%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$9,138 ₹867.6K

96.11%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$33.1K ₹3.1M

-19.14%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$41.37 ₹3,927

102.95%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.10 ₹295

209.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$7.63 ₹724

216.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$11.33 ₹1,075

128.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.77 ₹643

181.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.88 ₹274

36.11%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$27.19 ₹2,582

1026.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,087 ₹103.2K

444.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$21.95 ₹2,084

163.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$28.13 ₹2,671

13.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$38.56 ₹3,661

159.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$29.52 ₹2,803

262.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$66.7 ₹6,330

630.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$45.31 ₹4,302

712.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$187 ₹17.7K

341.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$127 ₹12.0K

464.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,592 ₹151.2K

83.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$383 ₹36.4K

42.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

49.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dhanbad: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $66.7 in Dhanbad. 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 42% 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 $7.00 in Dhanbad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $86.0 – making Dhanbad 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 Dhanbad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 217%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $490 in Dhanbad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhanbad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $327 in Dhanbad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 368% less in Dhanbad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dhanbad, where all-in costs run around $327, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Dhanbad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhanbad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dhanbad. 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.