😐A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $382 in Guwahati, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $608 in Guwahati, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $835 in Guwahati, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 165% more than Guwahati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Medellin and Guwahati are more affordable than the global median – Medellin24% lower, Guwahati71% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99COP 21.4K
$1.37₹131
337.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86COP 117.2K
$10.32₹988
218.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.09COP 25.3K
$5.80₹555
22.24%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 6,105
$1.64₹157
4.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,918
$0.34₹32.48
223.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,776
$0.13₹12.06
500.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.68COP 5,987
$1.42₹136
18.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07COP 10.9K
$3.24₹310
-5.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09COP 3,899
$0.74₹70.8
47.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,500
$0.47₹45.15
168.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,914
$0.55₹52.5
150.91%
Eggs
$2.19COP 7,813
$0.98₹94.1
123.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.40COP 15.7K
$4.43₹424
-0.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.63COP 20.1K
$3.26₹312
72.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89COP 31.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 8,334
$1.85₹177
26.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,771
$0.75₹72.2
41.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50COP 5,365
$0.91₹87.2
64.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,915
$0.79₹75.4
74.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COP 4,104
$0.31₹29.96
270.97%
Onion(1kg)
$1.16COP 4,148
$0.35₹33.78
231.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,176
$0.37₹34.99
140.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84COP 2,992
$0.28₹26.77
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28COP 8,131
$4.15₹397
-45.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.64COP 37.9K
$7.03₹673
51.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 4,276
$1.47₹141
-18.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47COP 8,809
$2.87₹275
-13.94%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$4.45₹426
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.86COP 3,051
$0.30₹28.72
186.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.40COP 147.6K
$5.67₹542
630.16%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COP 5,255
$0.76₹72.5
93.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.96COP 6,997
$0.39₹36.91
402.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.74COP 27.6K
$1.49₹143
419.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95COP 3,403
$1.18₹113
-19.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1KCOP 64.6M
$13.9K₹1.3M
30.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.4M
$17.9K₹1.7M
48.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.3COP 293.2K
$40.35₹3,861
103.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50COP 33.9K
$3.34₹320
184.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23COP 86.4K
$5.56₹532
335.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.89COP 92.3K
$13.30₹1,273
94.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00COP 67.7K
$8.89₹851
113.72%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93COP 14.0K
$2.83₹271
38.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309COP 1.1M
$32.81₹3,140
843.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,965COP 21.3M
$1,914₹183.1K
211.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7COP 209.1K
$25.88₹2,477
126.66%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35COP 115.3K
$34.97₹3,347
-7.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103COP 365.7K
$45.41₹4,346
125.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 386.5K
$42.22₹4,040
156.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$476COP 1.7M
$161₹15.4K
195.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.4M
$73.5₹7,030
415.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838COP 3.0M
$365₹34.9K
129.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$724COP 2.6M
$149₹14.3K
385.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,791COP 9.9M
$624₹59.7K
347.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,211COP 4.3M
$413₹39.5K
193.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$512COP 1.8M
$344₹32.9K
48.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
7.38
81.98%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Last update for Guwahati: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $161 in Guwahati. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 49% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $10.00 in Guwahati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $103 – making Guwahati 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 Guwahati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guwahati cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 165%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $573 in Guwahati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guwahati, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 630% less in Guwahati. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $32.81 in Guwahati. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Guwahati?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guwahati, where all-in costs run around $382, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Guwahati it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Guwahati more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Guwahati – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Guwahati. 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.