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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $409 in Haldia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $658 in Haldia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $907 in Haldia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 145% more expensive than in Haldia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Haldia 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.11 ₹297

90.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$11.81 ₹1,127

179.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.92 ₹469

51.02%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.85 ₹176

-10.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.40 ₹38.48

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.13 ₹12.08

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.78 ₹170

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.35 ₹224

35.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.67 ₹63.6

64.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.40 ₹37.79

215.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.67 ₹64.1

105.97%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$0.98 ₹93.6

122.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.51 ₹430

-0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.94 ₹280

96.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.44 ₹233

-4.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.80 ₹76.3

32.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.32 ₹126

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.61 ₹57.8

122.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.38 ₹35.82

197.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.60 ₹57.1

95.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.42 ₹39.98

114.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.33 ₹31.89

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.92 ₹374

-43.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.33 ₹795

45.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.60 ₹153

-25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.52 ₹240

-1.59%

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

$7.31 ₹697

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.28 ₹26.58

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$8.64 ₹824

381.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.56 ₹53.2

153.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.30 ₹28.90

550.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.10 ₹200

275.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.25 ₹119

-20.80%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$11.5K ₹1.1M

53.00%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.6K ₹2.1M

23.88%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$41.91 ₹3,997

98.07%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.00 ₹382

142.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$7.23 ₹689

225.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$16.15 ₹1,540

56.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.19 ₹685

165.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.99 ₹380

-1.00%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$44.24 ₹4,219

613.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,573 ₹150.0K

279.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$28.25 ₹2,694

112.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$29.75 ₹2,837

6.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$47.21 ₹4,503

115.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$31.44 ₹2,999

241.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$123 ₹11.8K

285.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$77.5 ₹7,391

382.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$279 ₹26.6K

204.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$183 ₹17.4K

293.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$914 ₹87.2K

257.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$588 ₹56.1K

145.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$435 ₹41.5K

43.63%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Haldia: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $123 in Haldia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 44% 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 $193 vs $109 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 145% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $409 including rent). Haldia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 44% 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 $123 in Haldia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $409 in Haldia – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haldia runs roughly 382% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $409 in Haldia versus $1,003 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 145% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.