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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $378 in Howrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $580 in Howrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $782 in Howrah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 172% more expensive than in Howrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Howrah 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.70 ₹164

262.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$11.43 ₹1,101

185.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.28 ₹412

71.50%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.47 ₹142

17.01%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.25 ₹24.03

320.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.13 ₹12.91

492.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.21 ₹116

39.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.84 ₹273

11.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.66 ₹63.7

59.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.40 ₹38.07

225.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.59 ₹57.0

137.29%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.01 ₹96.8

113.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.46 ₹526

-19.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.97 ₹285

97.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.00 ₹96.6

128.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.78 ₹75.6

42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.56 ₹53.5

173.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.65 ₹62.7

107.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.36 ₹34.95

213.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.46 ₹43.99

145.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.13 ₹12.83

553.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.17 ₹16.18

435.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.15 ₹207

8.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.16 ₹881

35.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.30 ₹125

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.07 ₹199

20.29%

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

$7.69 ₹740

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.17 ₹16.09

394.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.75 ₹843

363.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.56 ₹53.7

153.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.32 ₹30.96

500.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.09 ₹202

266.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.17 ₹113

-15.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.0K ₹1.5M

12.94%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

16.82%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$41.86 ₹4,030

93.05%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$2.04 ₹196

387.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$7.46 ₹718

224.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$16.18 ₹1,558

55.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.06 ₹679

171.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.16 ₹400

-4.33%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$44.67 ₹4,301

583.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,579 ₹152.0K

283.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$17.63 ₹1,697

229.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.83 ₹2,871

7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$48.90 ₹4,708

105.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$11.82 ₹1,138

811.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$130 ₹12.5K

266.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$88.0 ₹8,474

327.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$278 ₹26.7K

204.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$181 ₹17.5K

302.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$890 ₹85.7K

261.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$540 ₹52.0K

154.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$362 ₹34.8K

70.56%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Howrah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $130 in Howrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 71% 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 $11.00 in Howrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $97.0 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 172% 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.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $130 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 364% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $44.67 in Howrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $378 in Howrah versus $1,031 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 $378 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 172% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.