Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Goa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Goa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $590 in Goa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $910 in Goa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,230 in Goa.

Living in Medellin is roughly 70% more expensive than in Goa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Goa 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$3.39 ₹324

74.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$15.53 ₹1,485

112.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.66 ₹542

31.27%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.32 ₹127

25.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.38 ₹36.36

189.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.21 ₹20.02

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.27 ₹121

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.22 ₹308

-1.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.75 ₹71.4

46.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.56 ₹53.8

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.10 ₹105

25.45%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$0.91 ₹87.2

139.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$6.58 ₹629

-31.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.13 ₹300

84.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.06 ₹197

12.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$0.97 ₹93.1

9.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.70 ₹163

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.53 ₹50.5

156.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.42 ₹39.72

169.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.55 ₹53.0

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.60 ₹57.5

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.44 ₹41.99

104.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.41 ₹326

-34.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$6.64 ₹635

82.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.94 ₹89.5

26.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.79 ₹171

38.55%

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

$4.40 ₹421

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.22 ₹20.94

286.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$17.18 ₹1,643

142.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.13 ₹108

25.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.37 ₹35.11

427.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.38 ₹228

231.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.19 ₹113

-16.81%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$11.2K ₹1.1M

57.13%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$31.6K ₹3.0M

-15.24%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$24.81 ₹2,373

234.58%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$3.19 ₹305

204.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$10.64 ₹1,017

121.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$20.16 ₹1,928

25.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$4.22 ₹403

352.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$3.25 ₹311

21.54%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$123 ₹11.8K

156.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$1,909 ₹182.6K

213.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$32.76 ₹3,133

83.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$29.18 ₹2,791

9.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$50.5 ₹4,829

101.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$23.57 ₹2,254

355.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$281 ₹26.9K

68.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$251 ₹24.0K

48.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$474 ₹45.3K

79.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$438 ₹41.9K

64.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,121 ₹107.2K

191.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$694 ₹66.4K

107.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$343 ₹32.8K

82.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.47

58.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Goa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $281 in Goa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 82% 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 $16.00 in Goa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $114 per month, with Goa 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 Goa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Goa differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $590 including rent). Goa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 82% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $281 in Goa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Goa – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $590 in Goa versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Goa but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Goa 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.

Expats usually find Goa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.