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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $396 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $668 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $941 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

Medellin costs about 153% more than Dhulikhel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Dhulikhel are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Dhulikhel 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$1.84 NPR 282

221.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$18.57 NPR 2,844

77.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.73 NPR 1,030

10.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.48 NPR 226

11.49%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.54 NPR 82.3

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.17 NPR 26.24

358.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.67 NPR 408

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.69 NPR 565

-13.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.74 NPR 113

48.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.55 NPR 83.9

129.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.77 NPR 117

79.22%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.71 NPR 261

27.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.24 NPR 1,110

-37.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.20 NPR 490

80.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$6.15 NPR 942

45.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.21 NPR 339

4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.09 NPR 167

-2.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.24 NPR 190

22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.69 NPR 105

97.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.48 NPR 73.9

135.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.64 NPR 97.4

82.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.49 NPR 74.7

83.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.27 NPR 41.43

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.82 NPR 433

-20.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$2.34 NPR 358

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.22 NPR 494

-22.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.20 NPR 29.91

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$2.23 NPR 341

-36.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.75 NPR 115

160.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$3.71 NPR 568

112.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.28 NPR 196

-22.66%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$32.4K NPR 5.0M

-45.59%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$39.9K NPR 6.1M

-32.78%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$26.77 NPR 4,101

210.09%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$4.81 NPR 737

101.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$9.48 NPR 1,453

148.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$18.46 NPR 2,829

36.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$2.66 NPR 407

48.50%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$73.9 NPR 11.3K

327.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$2,773 NPR 424.9K

115.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$25.31 NPR 3,877

137.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$27.28 NPR 4,179

16.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$45.07 NPR 6,904

125.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$29.33 NPR 4,493

266.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$106 NPR 16.3K

347.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$64.1 NPR 9,824

483.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$205 NPR 31.4K

314.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$143 NPR 21.9K

403.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dhulikhel: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $106 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: $193 vs $131 – 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 153%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $593 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 48% 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 $396, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.