Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Haldia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Haldia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $406 in Haldia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $658 in Haldia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $910 in Haldia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 155% more expensive than Haldia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Haldia 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.11 ₹295

90.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$11.60 ₹1,102

182.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.98 ₹473

44.58%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.80 ₹171

-5.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.41 ₹38.48

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.13 ₹12.48

453.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.73 ₹164

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.35 ₹223

31.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.67 ₹64.0

58.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.39 ₹37.34

220.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.62 ₹59.0

124.19%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.02 ₹97.1

121.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.52 ₹429

-4.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.88 ₹273

102.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.42 ₹230

-7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.79 ₹75.0

36.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.28 ₹121

19.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.61 ₹58.2

124.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.41 ₹38.70

175.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.60 ₹57.0

86.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.45 ₹42.37

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.34 ₹31.81

167.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.00 ₹379

-41.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.57 ₹814

29.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.59 ₹151

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.41 ₹229

-1.66%

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

$7.29 ₹692

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.30 ₹28.76

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$8.79 ₹834

367.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.56 ₹53.4

157.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.28 ₹26.58

582.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.08 ₹198

285.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.19 ₹113

-21.01%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$11.8K ₹1.1M

51.89%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.9K ₹2.1M

22.05%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$41.93 ₹3,981

100.24%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.97 ₹376

141.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$7.26 ₹690

232.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$16.02 ₹1,521

61.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.97 ₹662

173.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.96 ₹376

-1.01%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$43.67 ₹4,146

601.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,590 ₹151.0K

272.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$28.01 ₹2,659

106.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.50 ₹2,896

4.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$47.50 ₹4,510

110.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$31.96 ₹3,034

235.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$123 ₹11.7K

294.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$75.7 ₹7,188

386.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$273 ₹25.9K

202.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$179 ₹16.9K

301.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,037 ₹98.5K

182.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$492 ₹46.7K

186.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$438 ₹41.5K

24.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.9

35.66%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Haldia: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $123 in Haldia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 25% 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 $12.00 in Haldia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $108 per month, with Haldia 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 Haldia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Haldia differ by about 155% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $406 including rent). Haldia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 25% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $123 in Haldia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $406 in Haldia – a 155% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haldia runs roughly 368% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $406 in Haldia versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Haldia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Haldia 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Haldia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Haldia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.