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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $389 in Dharwad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $622 in Dharwad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $855 in Dharwad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 165% more expensive than in Dharwad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dharwad 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.37 ₹228

159.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$10.33 ₹996

215.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.67 ₹354

100.00%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.58 ₹153

8.86%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.38 ₹36.30

176.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.15 ₹14.25

413.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.70 ₹164

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.11 ₹300

1.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.65 ₹63.0

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.46 ₹44.03

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.71 ₹68.5

97.18%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$0.94 ₹91.1

129.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.03 ₹485

-12.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.90 ₹280

102.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.06 ₹199

10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.73 ₹70.8

52.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.92 ₹88.3

66.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.51 ₹49.00

164.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.38 ₹36.66

197.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.41 ₹39.75

175.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.45 ₹43.42

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.32 ₹30.42

184.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.90 ₹376

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.43 ₹716

66.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.77 ₹171

-32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.91 ₹280

-14.43%

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

$5.26 ₹507

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.30 ₹29.21

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.76 ₹844

363.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.77 ₹74.4

84.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.24 ₹23.12

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.47 ₹142

421.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.21 ₹117

-18.18%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$14.0K ₹1.3M

29.13%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.8K ₹2.1M

22.05%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$38.78 ₹3,740

108.38%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.42 ₹330

190.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$7.53 ₹726

221.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$15.89 ₹1,532

57.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.87 ₹663

178.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.99 ₹288

33.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$50.4 ₹4,855

506.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,542 ₹148.7K

292.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$24.22 ₹2,336

140.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.81 ₹2,393

29.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$42.60 ₹4,108

136.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$32.05 ₹3,091

236.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$124 ₹12.0K

284.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$76.9 ₹7,418

389.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$276 ₹26.6K

206.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$179 ₹17.3K

307.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,112 ₹107.2K

189.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$481 ₹46.4K

185.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dharwad: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $124 in Dharwad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $10.00 in Dharwad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $105 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 165% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $389 including rent). Dharwad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $583 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: $477 in Medellin versus $124 in Dharwad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $389 in Dharwad – a 165% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dharwad runs roughly 363% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $389 in Dharwad versus $1,031 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 165% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.