πA single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $297 in Janakpur, rent included.
πA couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $512 in Janakpur, rent included.
πA family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $727 in Janakpur, rent included.
πMedellin costs about 248% more than Janakpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
πBoth Medellin and Janakpur are more affordable than the global median β Medellin23% lower, Janakpur78% lower.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COPΒ 21.4K
$1.87NPRΒ 283
216.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COPΒ 118.2K
$11.13NPRΒ 1,690
194.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COPΒ 26.0K
$6.74NPRΒ 1,024
6.82%
Cappuccino
$1.70COPΒ 6,140
$1.66NPRΒ 253
2.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COPΒ 3,966
$0.54NPRΒ 81.9
103.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COPΒ 2,605
$0.19NPRΒ 29.51
278.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COPΒ 6,022
$2.38NPRΒ 361
-29.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COPΒ 11.2K
$2.52NPRΒ 383
23.02%
π Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COPΒ 3,809
$0.64NPRΒ 96.5
65.63%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COPΒ 4,497
$0.33NPRΒ 50.7
278.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COPΒ 5,022
$0.69NPRΒ 105
101.45%
Eggs
$2.26COPΒ 8,168
$1.78NPRΒ 271
26.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COPΒ 15.6K
$4.35NPRΒ 661
-0.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COPΒ 21.1K
$3.04NPRΒ 461
92.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COPΒ 31.9K
$3.57NPRΒ 543
147.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COPΒ 8,099
$1.65NPRΒ 251
35.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COPΒ 3,882
$0.69NPRΒ 105
56.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COPΒ 5,522
$1.20NPRΒ 182
27.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COPΒ 4,950
$0.64NPRΒ 96.8
114.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COPΒ 4,078
$0.30NPRΒ 46.04
276.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COPΒ 4,036
$0.57NPRΒ 87.3
96.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COPΒ 3,057
$0.23NPRΒ 35.07
269.57%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COPΒ 3,281
$0.24NPRΒ 36.44
279.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COPΒ 8,414
$2.52NPRΒ 383
-7.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COPΒ 40.2K
$6.47NPRΒ 983
72.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COPΒ 4,309
$1.92NPRΒ 291
-38.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COPΒ 8,553
$2.59NPRΒ 393
-8.49%
π Getting Around
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COPΒ 2,838
$0.20NPRΒ 30.15
295.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COPΒ 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COPΒ 5,184
$0.71NPRΒ 108
102.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COPΒ 6,901
$0.74NPRΒ 113
158.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COPΒ 28.9K
$3.61NPRΒ 548
122.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COPΒ 3,385
$1.20NPRΒ 182
-21.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOPΒ 64.7M
$25.5KNPRΒ 3.9M
-29.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOPΒ 96.7M
$29.1KNPRΒ 4.4M
-7.82%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COPΒ 303.1K
$14.84NPRΒ 2,255
465.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COPΒ 34.7K
$4.94NPRΒ 750
94.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COPΒ 87.2K
$4.46NPRΒ 677
441.70%
π Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COPΒ 93.4K
$10.75NPRΒ 1,633
140.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COPΒ 68.7K
$7.13NPRΒ 1,083
167.04%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COPΒ 14.1K
$3.01NPRΒ 457
30.23%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COPΒ 1.1M
$32.63NPRΒ 4,956
838.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COPΒ 21.4M
$3,775NPRΒ 573.5K
56.78%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COPΒ 209.1K
$23.55NPRΒ 3,578
145.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COPΒ 114.9K
$18.46NPRΒ 2,804
72.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COPΒ 360.6K
$30.92NPRΒ 4,697
223.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COPΒ 386.8K
$31.05NPRΒ 4,717
245.06%
π Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COPΒ 1.8M
$38.89NPRΒ 5,908
1151.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COPΒ 1.3M
$21.70NPRΒ 3,297
1596.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COPΒ 3.0M
$115NPRΒ 17.4K
619.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COPΒ 2.6M
$88.0NPRΒ 13.4K
713.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COPΒ 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COPΒ 5.1M
-
-
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Janakpur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COPΒ 2.0M
$215NPRΒ 32.7K
153.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
12
11.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Last update for Janakpur: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $38.89 in Janakpur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
π°Salaries run about 153% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
πA mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Janakpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $113 β making Janakpur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Janakpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and Janakpur compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $297 in Janakpur β roughly 248% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Janakpur?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $445 in Janakpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled β not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Janakpur?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Janakpur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Janakpur?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $297 in Janakpur. The difference isn't just one category β it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Janakpur?
Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $32.63 in Janakpur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Janakpur, where all-in costs run around $297, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Janakpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Janakpur?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $297 in Janakpur to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Medellin or Janakpur safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison β central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Medellin and Janakpur?
If budget matters most, go with Janakpur. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.