Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dharan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dharan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $339 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $554 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $770 in Dharan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 204% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.12 NPR 325

190.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.57 NPR 2,852

75.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.73 NPR 1,034

9.06%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.80 NPR 277

-4.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.33 NPR 49.99

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.13 NPR 20.08

492.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.55 NPR 392

-33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.57 NPR 548

-11.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.71 NPR 110

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.34 NPR 52.7

282.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.74 NPR 114

89.19%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.56 NPR 240

38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.22 NPR 1,109

-39.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.00 NPR 460

96.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.04 NPR 775

71.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.04 NPR 313

11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.54 NPR 82.7

105.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.64 NPR 98.5

139.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.39 NPR 59.8

246.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.28 NPR 42.99

303.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.53 NPR 81.7

113.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.53 NPR 81.5

60.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.23 NPR 35.03

295.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.85 NPR 438

-17.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$2.92 NPR 448

323.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.25 NPR 346

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.19 NPR 489

-21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.23 NPR 35.25

265.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.12 NPR 326

-33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.77 NPR 118

149.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.74 NPR 574

104.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.33 NPR 204

-25.56%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

-44.58%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

-34.54%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$26.71 NPR 4,103

202.55%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.74 NPR 729

109.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.73 NPR 1,801

106.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$12.51 NPR 1,921

100.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.90 NPR 445

37.24%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$22.20 NPR 3,410

1274.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,760 NPR 424.0K

119.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$12.81 NPR 1,967

353.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.50 NPR 4,224

17.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$29.15 NPR 4,477

245.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$32.95 NPR 5,062

227.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$39.61 NPR 6,085

1103.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$20.34 NPR 3,124

1749.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$88.6 NPR 13.6K

853.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$54.2 NPR 8,322

1248.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$131 NPR 20.2K

370.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.08

11.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dharan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $39.61 in Dharan. 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 370% 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 $19.00 in Dharan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $120 – making Dharan 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 Dharan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 204% more than Dharan, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $508 in Dharan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dharan, 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 $19.00 in Dharan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dharan, where all-in costs run around $339, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Dharan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $339 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Dharan. 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.