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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $359 in Dharwad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $564 in Dharwad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $768 in Dharwad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 368% more expensive than in Dharwad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Dharwad is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.04 ₹196

293.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$7.24 ₹694

561.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.83 ₹368

158.22%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.64 ₹158

90.85%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.38 ₹36.37

402.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.10 ₹9.91

1410.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.50 ₹144

108.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.02 ₹290

90.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.62 ₹59.3

132.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.50 ₹47.69

398.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.61 ₹58.8

190.16%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$0.92 ₹87.8

221.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.17 ₹400

141.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.79 ₹268

262.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.87 ₹179

121.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.64 ₹61.6

151.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.92 ₹88.6

144.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.44 ₹42.19

411.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.36 ₹34.15

466.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.41 ₹39.04

275.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.50 ₹47.57

134.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.31 ₹30.04

322.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.99 ₹479

-21.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.02 ₹674

99.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.44 ₹138

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.59 ₹248

10.81%

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

$5.51 ₹529

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.25 ₹23.98

388.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$7.38 ₹708

990.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.81 ₹78.1

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.27 ₹25.98

711.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.39 ₹133

526.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.13 ₹109

21.24%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$11.4K ₹1.1M

144.74%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$21.6K ₹2.1M

65.45%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$34.75 ₹3,334

410.22%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$3.19 ₹306

335.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$5.86 ₹563

407.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$14.10 ₹1,353

218.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$5.81 ₹557

194.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$2.81 ₹270

136.65%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$48.13 ₹4,618

1589.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,389 ₹133.3K

561.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$21.89 ₹2,100

308.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$25.60 ₹2,456

130.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$39.32 ₹3,773

251.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$26.41 ₹2,534

286.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$121 ₹11.6K

777.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$72.6 ₹6,967

812.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$261 ₹25.0K

623.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$177 ₹17.0K

479.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$860 ₹82.5K

386.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$529 ₹50.8K

216.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.86

23.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dharwad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $121 in Dharwad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $7.00 in Dharwad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $97.0 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 368% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $359 including rent). Dharwad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $539 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $121 in Dharwad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $359 in Dharwad – a 368% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dharwad runs roughly 991% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $359 in Dharwad versus $1,681 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 368% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.