Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalyani Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalyani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $385 in Kalyani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $624 in Kalyani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $863 in Kalyani.

Living in Medellin is roughly 161% more expensive than in Kalyani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Kalyani 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$3.22 ₹308

83.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$11.75 ₹1,124

180.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$5.03 ₹481

47.71%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$1.85 ₹177

-10.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$0.24 ₹22.97

358.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$0.14 ₹13.87

457.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$1.72 ₹164

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$2.88 ₹276

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$0.72 ₹69.3

52.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$0.43 ₹41.17

193.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$0.65 ₹62.0

112.31%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$0.86 ₹82.7

153.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$5.41 ₹517

-17.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$2.97 ₹284

94.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$2.46 ₹235

-5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$0.61 ₹58.2

73.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$0.67 ₹64.4

126.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$0.64 ₹61.6

112.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$0.35 ₹33.83

222.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.56 ₹53.8

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$0.41 ₹39.33

119.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$0.30 ₹28.89

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$3.30 ₹315

-32.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$7.96 ₹762

52.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$1.38 ₹132

-13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$2.52 ₹241

-1.59%

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

$7.29 ₹698

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$0.28 ₹26.53

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$8.79 ₹841

373.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$0.57 ₹54.2

149.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$0.13 ₹12.09

1400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$2.00 ₹191

294.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$1.20 ₹115

-17.50%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$16.0K ₹1.5M

10.29%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$22.3K ₹2.1M

20.20%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$42.41 ₹4,057

95.73%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$3.47 ₹332

179.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$5.09 ₹487

362.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$9.70 ₹928

160.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$7.13 ₹682

167.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$2.56 ₹245

54.30%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$21.38 ₹2,045

1377.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$889 ₹85.0K

572.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$16.96 ₹1,623

253.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$30.75 ₹2,943

3.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$38.30 ₹3,665

165.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$31.63 ₹3,027

239.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$123 ₹11.7K

287.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$74.9 ₹7,163

399.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$269 ₹25.8K

215.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$183 ₹17.5K

293.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

$297 ₹28.5K

109.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.5

79.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kalyani: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Medellin pays 110% 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 Kalyani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $106 per month, with Kalyani 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 Kalyani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalyani is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 110% 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 Kalyani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalyani – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $385 in Kalyani – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $385 in Kalyani versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kalyani but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kalyani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kalyani is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kalyani 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 Kalyani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.