😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $368 in Kannur.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $573 in Kannur.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $777 in Kannur.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 175% more expensive than Kannur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin24% lower, Kannur73% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99COP 21.4K
$1.19₹114
403.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86COP 117.4K
$9.65₹919
240.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.09COP 25.3K
$4.15₹395
70.84%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 6,115
$1.43₹136
19.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,924
$0.40₹38.55
175.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,781
$0.13₹12.09
500.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.68COP 5,997
$1.75₹167
-4.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07COP 11.0K
$2.27₹216
35.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09COP 3,906
$0.62₹59.4
75.81%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,508
$0.46₹43.96
173.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,922
$0.53₹50.8
160.38%
Eggs
$2.19COP 7,827
$0.74₹70.5
195.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.40COP 15.7K
$5.19₹495
-15.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.63COP 20.1K
$2.80₹266
101.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89COP 31.8K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 8,349
$2.56₹243
-8.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,777
$0.69₹65.7
53.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50COP 5,374
$0.80₹76.1
87.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,924
$0.45₹43.13
206.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COP 4,111
$0.37₹35.21
210.81%
Onion(1kg)
$1.16COP 4,155
$0.42₹40.19
176.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,182
$0.42₹40.21
111.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84COP 2,997
$0.32₹30.89
162.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28COP 8,145
$4.09₹390
-44.25%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.64COP 38.0K
$8.43₹803
26.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 4,284
$2.03₹194
-40.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47COP 8,824
$2.36₹225
4.66%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$3.97₹378
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.86COP 3,056
$0.22₹20.89
290.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.40COP 147.9K
$5.93₹565
598.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COP 5,264
$1.13₹108
30.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.96COP 7,009
$0.33₹31.37
493.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.74COP 27.6K
$1.68₹160
360.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95COP 3,409
$1.18₹113
-19.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1KCOP 64.7M
$9,786₹932.2K
85.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.6M
$14.8K₹1.4M
78.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.3COP 293.7K
$26.85₹2,558
206.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50COP 33.9K
$3.24₹309
193.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23COP 86.5K
$7.32₹697
231.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.89COP 92.4K
$11.97₹1,140
116.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00COP 67.9K
$10.31₹982
84.29%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93COP 14.0K
$2.63₹251
49.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309COP 1.1M
$58.2₹5,543
431.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,965COP 21.3M
$1,552₹147.8K
284.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7COP 209.5K
$22.90₹2,181
156.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35COP 115.5K
$19.34₹1,842
67.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103COP 366.4K
$38.62₹3,679
165.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 387.2K
$27.64₹2,632
292.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$476COP 1.7M
$146₹13.9K
225.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.4M
$91.1₹8,676
315.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838COP 3.0M
$201₹19.1K
317.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$724COP 2.6M
$174₹16.6K
315.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,791COP 10.0M
$737₹70.2K
278.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,211COP 4.3M
$1,788₹170.3K
-32.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kannur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$512COP 1.8M
$263₹25.0K
94.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
9.36
43.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Last update for Kannur: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $146 in Kannur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 95% 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 $10.00 in Kannur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $107 per month, with Kannur 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 Kannur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Kannur?
Kannur wins on cost – living expenses run 175% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kannur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or Kannur?
Medellin pays 95% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Kannur?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $146 in Kannur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or Kannur?
Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin vs Kannur?
Dining out is cheaper in Kannur – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or Kannur?
At $368 in Kannur versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kannur but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kannur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Kannur?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kannur delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kannur hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Kannur?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Kannur are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kannur 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.