😐A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $388 in Guwahati, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $601 in Guwahati, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $814 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 – Medellin23% lower, Guwahati71% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16COP 20.1K
$1.38₹133
346.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60COP 106.1K
$10.52₹1,014
209.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.34COP 23.9K
$5.79₹559
26.77%
Cappuccino
$1.72COP 5,599
$1.72₹165
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05COP 3,420
$0.33₹32.26
218.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77COP 2,515
$0.13₹12.30
492.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.69COP 5,487
$1.37₹132
23.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17COP 10.3K
$3.29₹317
-3.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05COP 3,423
$0.70₹67.9
50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.30COP 4,236
$0.46₹44.42
182.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40COP 4,544
$0.54₹52.3
159.26%
Eggs
$2.16COP 7,046
$0.91₹88.1
137.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.39COP 14.3K
$4.51₹435
-2.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.88COP 19.1K
$3.40₹328
72.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.64COP 28.1K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.28COP 7,425
$1.93₹186
18.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.11COP 3,603
$0.75₹72.0
48.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 4,982
$0.92₹88.5
66.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.35COP 4,410
$0.78₹75.2
73.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,674
$0.31₹30.29
264.52%
Onion(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,692
$0.38₹37.11
197.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 2,753
$0.37₹35.29
129.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 2,975
$0.28₹26.97
225.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34COP 7,629
$4.15₹401
-43.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.37COP 40.3K
$6.84₹660
80.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 3,909
$1.48₹143
-18.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49COP 8,104
$2.78₹268
-10.43%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$4.25₹409
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.84COP 2,727
$0.28₹26.86
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.57COP 132.1K
$5.98₹576
578.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,623
$0.81₹78.2
75.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.92COP 6,235
$0.38₹37.09
405.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.66COP 24.9K
$1.42₹137
439.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,223
$1.17₹113
-15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
$14.0K₹1.4M
28.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
$17.7K₹1.7M
50.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$80.8COP 263.1K
$40.39₹3,895
100.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95COP 32.4K
$3.32₹320
199.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18COP 78.7K
$5.68₹548
325.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.08COP 81.6K
$13.50₹1,301
85.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15COP 62.3K
$8.87₹855
115.90%
Cinema Ticket
$3.98COP 13.0K
$2.98₹288
33.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$305COP 993.4K
$32.22₹3,107
847.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,059COP 19.7M
$1,953₹188.4K
210.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1COP 189.2K
$25.25₹2,435
130.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20COP 104.8K
$36.21₹3,492
-11.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101COP 327.9K
$46.26₹4,461
117.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 350.8K
$42.76₹4,123
151.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$477COP 1.6M
$158₹15.2K
202.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$376COP 1.2M
$70.8₹6,826
431.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$845COP 2.7M
$368₹35.5K
129.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$730COP 2.4M
$154₹14.9K
373.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,215COP 10.5M
$626₹60.4K
413.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,372COP 4.5M
$415₹40.0K
230.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Guwahati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617COP 2.0M
$333₹32.1K
85.28%
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Guwahati: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $158 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 85% 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 $11.00 in Guwahati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $583 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 578% less in Guwahati. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $32.22 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 living in Medellin or in Guwahati?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guwahati, where all-in costs run around $388, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.