Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Howrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Howrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $368 in Howrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $586 in Howrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $803 in Howrah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 175% more expensive than Howrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Howrah 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.70 ₹163

252.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$11.60 ₹1,110

183.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.31 ₹412

64.50%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.41 ₹135

21.28%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.25 ₹23.66

340.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.13 ₹12.32

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.19 ₹114

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.94 ₹282

4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.65 ₹62.3

67.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.39 ₹37.42

223.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.63 ₹60.4

119.05%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$0.97 ₹93.1

125.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.55 ₹531

-20.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.97 ₹284

89.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.94 ₹90.4

148.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.79 ₹75.8

34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.60 ₹57.1

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.62 ₹59.2

122.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.36 ₹34.80

219.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.45 ₹43.40

157.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.14 ₹13.10

535.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.16 ₹14.94

425.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.18 ₹209

4.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.58 ₹821

24.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.27 ₹121

-5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.10 ₹201

17.62%

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

$7.54 ₹721

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.16 ₹15.75

437.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$8.46 ₹810

389.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.56 ₹53.3

162.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.30 ₹28.62

553.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.08 ₹199

272.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.23 ₹118

-22.76%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

16.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$22.6K ₹2.2M

17.06%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$41.94 ₹4,014

96.11%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$2.06 ₹197

361.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$7.28 ₹697

232.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$16.09 ₹1,540

60.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$7.18 ₹687

164.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.97 ₹380

-1.01%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$43.10 ₹4,125

617.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,601 ₹153.2K

272.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$17.69 ₹1,692

231.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$30.69 ₹2,937

5.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$49.96 ₹4,781

105.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$11.43 ₹1,094

848.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$128 ₹12.2K

272.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$86.1 ₹8,234

340.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$277 ₹26.5K

202.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$180 ₹17.2K

302.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$950 ₹90.9K

193.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$511 ₹48.9K

136.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$358 ₹34.3K

42.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.18

46.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Howrah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $128 in Howrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 43% 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 Howrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $95.0 per month, with Howrah 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 Howrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Howrah wins on cost – living expenses run 175% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Howrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 43% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $128 in Howrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $43.10 in Howrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $368 in Howrah versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Howrah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Howrah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Howrah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Howrah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Howrah 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 Howrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 175% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.