Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dhulikhel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dhulikhel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $400 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $663 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $925 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

Medellin costs about 154% more than Dhulikhel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Dhulikhel are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Dhulikhel 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.79 NPR 272

232.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$19.30 NPR 2,936

72.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.58 NPR 1,001

9.88%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.49 NPR 226

9.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.54 NPR 82.8

101.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.19 NPR 28.44

284.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.51 NPR 382

-30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.73 NPR 567

-13.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.76 NPR 116

38.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.55 NPR 84.4

134.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.81 NPR 123

62.96%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.73 NPR 263

31.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.48 NPR 1,139

-41.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.13 NPR 477

87.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.03 NPR 918

42.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.27 NPR 346

-0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.04 NPR 158

2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.25 NPR 190

21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.70 NPR 107

102.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.48 NPR 73.7

143.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.63 NPR 95.8

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.52 NPR 79.4

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.27 NPR 41.39

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.93 NPR 446

-23.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.36 NPR 360

-51.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.31 NPR 504

-28.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.22 NPR 33.51

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.22 NPR 337

-36.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.75 NPR 114

153.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.70 NPR 564

109.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.24 NPR 189

-18.55%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-44.23%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$41.2K NPR 6.3M

-35.75%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$26.98 NPR 4,106

210.16%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.92 NPR 748

92.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$9.64 NPR 1,467

150.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$18.11 NPR 2,756

39.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.77 NPR 421

48.01%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$72.7 NPR 11.1K

329.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,718 NPR 413.6K

120.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$24.44 NPR 3,719

137.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$27.43 NPR 4,174

18.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$44.83 NPR 6,821

122.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$29.08 NPR 4,425

273.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$107 NPR 16.2K

351.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$64.7 NPR 9,849

486.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$208 NPR 31.7K

301.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$147 NPR 22.3K

392.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dhulikhel: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $107 in Dhulikhel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Dhulikhel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $132 – making Dhulikhel 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 Dhulikhel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 154%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $601 in Dhulikhel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhulikhel, 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 Dhulikhel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dhulikhel, where all-in costs run around $400, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Dhulikhel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhulikhel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dhulikhel. 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.