Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ghaziabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ghaziabad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $452 in Ghaziabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $745 in Ghaziabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,037 in Ghaziabad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 124% more expensive than Ghaziabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ghaziabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$2.95 ₹280

103.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$17.20 ₹1,633

91.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$4.16 ₹395

70.43%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$2.18 ₹207

-21.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.52 ₹49.22

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.18 ₹17.39

333.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$2.35 ₹223

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.47 ₹329

-11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$0.72 ₹68.3

51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$0.59 ₹55.7

113.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$0.91 ₹86.0

51.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.18 ₹112

85.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$3.93 ₹373

11.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$3.39 ₹322

66.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$1.80 ₹171

30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$0.76 ₹71.9

39.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$0.68 ₹64.8

120.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$0.52 ₹49.51

165.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$0.36 ₹34.45

219.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$0.53 ₹50.7

118.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.30 ₹28.35

196.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.33 ₹31.73

154.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$4.05 ₹385

-43.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$11.31 ₹1,074

-5.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$2.14 ₹203

-43.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$4.24 ₹403

-41.75%

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

$5.65 ₹536

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.55 ₹52.1

56.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$17.22 ₹1,635

140.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$0.60 ₹57.3

145.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$0.15 ₹14.55

1206.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$2.94 ₹279

163.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$1.20 ₹114

-20.83%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$14.1K ₹1.3M

29.03%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$21.5K ₹2.0M

23.07%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$51.6 ₹4,898

59.43%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$3.54 ₹336

168.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$7.97 ₹757

204.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$21.31 ₹2,023

21.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$5.52 ₹524

244.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$2.83 ₹268

38.87%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$90.9 ₹8,627

240.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$1,735 ₹164.7K

243.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$28.28 ₹2,685

107.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$26.53 ₹2,519

21.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$45.47 ₹4,318

125.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$31.40 ₹2,981

245.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$144 ₹13.6K

231.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$80.2 ₹7,613

372.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$302 ₹28.6K

177.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$230 ₹21.8K

215.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,075 ₹102.1K

159.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$725 ₹68.8K

67.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$376 ₹35.7K

36.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.81

36.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ghaziabad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $144 in Ghaziabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Ghaziabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $118 per month, with Ghaziabad 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 Ghaziabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ghaziabad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 124% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 36% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $144 in Ghaziabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ghaziabad – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $452 in Ghaziabad – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $452 in Ghaziabad versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ghaziabad but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ghaziabad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ghaziabad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Ghaziabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.