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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $419 in Haldia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $660 in Haldia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $901 in Haldia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 143% more expensive than Haldia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Haldia 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.21 ₹306

85.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$11.72 ₹1,115

184.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.80 ₹456

50.63%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.78 ₹169

-8.43%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.40 ₹38.40

172.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.13 ₹12.19

461.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.71 ₹163

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.34 ₹223

38.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.63 ₹60.2

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.40 ₹37.88

222.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.68 ₹64.3

94.12%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.02 ₹97.3

122.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.55 ₹432

-4.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.97 ₹283

97.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.44 ₹232

-7.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.85 ₹80.6

25.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.27 ₹121

19.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.66 ₹62.3

115.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.40 ₹38.28

192.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.56 ₹53.0

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.42 ₹39.94

111.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.33 ₹31.69

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.86 ₹367

-41.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.56 ₹814

28.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.64 ₹156

-30.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.49 ₹237

-4.42%

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

$7.50 ₹713

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₹26.59

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$8.57 ₹815

389.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.60 ₹56.9

135.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.28 ₹26.47

578.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.06 ₹196

276.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.23 ₹117

-17.89%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$11.8K ₹1.1M

48.90%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.7K ₹2.1M

22.09%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$42.34 ₹4,027

97.64%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.96 ₹377

138.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$7.29 ₹693

230.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$15.72 ₹1,495

61.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.85 ₹652

179.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.10 ₹390

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$43.89 ₹4,174

610.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,606 ₹152.8K

273.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$28.65 ₹2,725

102.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.15 ₹2,868

7.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$47.33 ₹4,501

110.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$31.63 ₹3,008

243.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$122 ₹11.6K

294.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$74.8 ₹7,118

407.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$271 ₹25.8K

209.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$179 ₹17.0K

304.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,052 ₹100.0K

169.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$441 ₹42.0K

177.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$430 ₹40.9K

25.67%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Haldia: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $122 in Haldia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 26% 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 $110 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 143% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $419 including rent). Haldia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 26% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $122 in Haldia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $419 in Haldia – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haldia runs roughly 389% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $419 in Haldia versus $1,017 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 143% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.