Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dharan

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharan: $58.7 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index
17

Cost of Living Index in Dharan
Learn more

Dharan Living Index

Jump to prices

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Dharan

🇳🇵 Nepal

$58.7

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Dharan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Dharan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $58.7 in Dharan, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Dharan $58.7

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $92.5 in Dharan, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Dharan $92.5

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $126 in Dharan, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Dharan $126

Medellin costs about 2648% more than Dharan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Dharan is 96% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$1.98 NPR 302

300.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$1.67 NPR 253

86.23%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$0.41 NPR 61.6

346.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

$0.13 NPR 19.14

961.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$0.40 NPR 61.2

490.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$2.56 NPR 389

272.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$1.08 NPR 165

20.37%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

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

$172 COP 545.6K

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$1.95 NPR 296

222.05%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Dharan: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Dharan

$17 * 28.7% 94.3% $278

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Dharan

$38 * 64.7% 77.4% $130

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Dharan

$3.9 * 6.6% 93.3% $54

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇳🇵 Dharan

🕒 Local time

13:28 1:28 PM

00:13 12:13 AM

10 h 45 min ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

173,096

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NPR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 152 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD). 1 EUR = 171 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Medellin Dharan 15,900 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Dharan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 2648% more than Dharan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $88.1 in Dharan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $58.7 in Dharan. That's a gap of about 2648%.

Groceries cost about 1651% 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 $58.7, than in Medellin at $1,614. 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 $58.7 versus $1,614 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.