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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $333 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $554 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $776 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 24% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.24 NPR 341

167.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$18.66 NPR 2,840

76.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.62 NPR 1,007

7.10%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.81 NPR 275

-5.52%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.35 NPR 53.5

214.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.16 NPR 24.72

387.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.62 NPR 399

-35.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.56 NPR 542

-13.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.72 NPR 109

51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.35 NPR 52.8

260.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.72 NPR 109

91.67%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.54 NPR 234

42.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.55 NPR 1,149

-41.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.87 NPR 437

96.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$5.25 NPR 800

69.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.96 NPR 299

19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.57 NPR 86.8

85.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.64 NPR 97.0

134.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.38 NPR 58.0

263.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.28 NPR 42.24

310.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.49 NPR 73.8

136.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.53 NPR 80.5

67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.21 NPR 32.19

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.97 NPR 453

-23.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$2.93 NPR 446

263.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.34 NPR 356

-48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.36 NPR 512

-26.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.19 NPR 29.56

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.21 NPR 336

-33.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.80 NPR 122

145.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.69 NPR 562

109.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.32 NPR 201

-28.03%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.4K NPR 4.9M

-44.00%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$40.8K NPR 6.2M

-35.01%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$27.04 NPR 4,116

204.18%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.90 NPR 747

93.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$11.45 NPR 1,743

111.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$12.88 NPR 1,961

101.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.88 NPR 438

36.46%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$21.79 NPR 3,317

1319.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,694 NPR 410.0K

121.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$12.66 NPR 1,927

363.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$27.14 NPR 4,131

19.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$29.17 NPR 4,441

251.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$33.40 NPR 5,083

224.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$39.47 NPR 6,007

1106.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$20.34 NPR 3,096

1762.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$88.6 NPR 13.5K

846.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$54.1 NPR 8,240

1237.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$184 NPR 28.0K

177.93%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dharan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $39.47 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 178% 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: $188 vs $121 – 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $499 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 56% 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 $333, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $333 versus $1,013 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.