Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dharwad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dharwad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $393 in Dharwad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $621 in Dharwad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $850 in Dharwad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 158% more expensive than Dharwad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Dharwad 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$2.36 ₹226

153.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$10.59 ₹1,014

210.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$3.82 ₹366

85.60%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$1.52 ₹146

12.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.37 ₹35.79

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.14 ₹13.30

457.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$1.78 ₹170

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.11 ₹298

-1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.69 ₹66.5

57.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.46 ₹43.66

173.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$0.68 ₹64.7

102.94%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$0.88 ₹84.7

148.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.86 ₹465

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$2.93 ₹280

92.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.97 ₹188

18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$0.73 ₹70.4

45.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$0.99 ₹94.8

51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.54 ₹51.9

155.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.35 ₹33.99

228.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.44 ₹42.39

163.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.49 ₹46.67

81.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.34 ₹32.59

147.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$3.89 ₹373

-41.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.21 ₹595

71.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.74 ₹167

-31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$2.90 ₹278

-14.83%

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

$5.01 ₹480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.28 ₹26.80

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$8.81 ₹844

369.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.85 ₹80.9

72.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.26 ₹24.91

653.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$1.49 ₹143

419.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.16 ₹112

-18.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

30.56%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$21.8K ₹2.1M

21.39%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$38.55 ₹3,693

113.36%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$3.55 ₹340

167.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$7.55 ₹724

220.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$15.86 ₹1,519

63.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$6.86 ₹657

176.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.88 ₹276

36.46%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$51.8 ₹4,964

496.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$1,546 ₹148.1K

285.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$23.88 ₹2,287

145.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$25.24 ₹2,418

28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$42.40 ₹4,061

141.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$32.26 ₹3,090

236.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$123 ₹11.7K

288.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$77.2 ₹7,394

390.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$273 ₹26.1K

207.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$179 ₹17.1K

304.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$962 ₹92.1K

190.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$539 ₹51.6K

124.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.67

54.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dharwad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $123 in Dharwad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $11.00 in Dharwad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $103 per month, with Dharwad 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 Dharwad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Dharwad differ by about 158% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $393 including rent). Dharwad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $589 in Dharwad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $123 in Dharwad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $393 in Dharwad – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dharwad runs roughly 370% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $393 in Dharwad versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dharwad but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dharwad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Dharwad 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 Dharwad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.