😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $369 in Kanpur.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $580 in Kanpur.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $792 in Kanpur.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 175% more expensive than Kanpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin24% lower, Kanpur72% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99COP 21.4K
$2.13₹204
181.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86COP 117.2K
$11.49₹1,099
185.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.09COP 25.3K
$3.95₹378
79.49%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 6,105
$1.47₹141
16.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,918
$0.27₹25.68
307.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,776
$0.13₹12.72
500.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.68COP 5,987
$1.47₹141
14.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07COP 10.9K
$2.26₹216
35.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09COP 3,899
$0.74₹70.3
47.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,500
$0.40₹37.90
215.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,914
$0.74₹70.6
86.49%
Eggs
$2.19COP 7,813
$0.95₹91.3
130.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.40COP 15.7K
$4.27₹409
3.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.63COP 20.1K
$2.90₹278
94.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89COP 31.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 8,334
$1.53₹146
52.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,771
$0.55₹52.8
92.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50COP 5,365
$1.00₹95.4
50.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,915
$0.59₹56.2
133.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COP 4,104
$0.24₹22.77
379.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.16COP 4,148
$0.46₹43.72
152.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,176
$0.64₹61.3
39.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84COP 2,992
$0.32₹30.41
162.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28COP 8,131
$4.04₹387
-43.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.64COP 37.9K
$6.08₹581
75.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 4,276
$1.73₹165
-30.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47COP 8,809
$3.47₹332
-28.82%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$5.51₹527
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.86COP 3,051
$0.40₹38.16
115.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.40COP 147.6K
$6.83₹653
506.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COP 5,255
$0.56₹53.4
162.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.96COP 6,997
$0.28₹26.45
600.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.74COP 27.6K
$1.18₹113
555.93%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95COP 3,403
$1.14₹109
-16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1KCOP 64.6M
$11.9K₹1.1M
52.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.4M
$16.6K₹1.6M
59.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.3COP 293.2K
$50.3₹4,811
63.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50COP 33.9K
$3.19₹306
197.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23COP 86.4K
$5.44₹520
345.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.89COP 92.3K
$14.53₹1,390
78.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00COP 67.7K
$6.93₹663
174.17%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93COP 14.0K
$2.85₹273
37.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309COP 1.1M
$36.77₹3,518
741.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,965COP 21.3M
$1,565₹149.8K
281.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7COP 209.1K
$23.58₹2,256
148.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35COP 115.3K
$30.60₹2,929
5.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103COP 365.7K
$40.02₹3,830
156.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 386.5K
$18.62₹1,782
482.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$476COP 1.7M
$118₹11.3K
302.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.4M
$63.9₹6,117
492.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838COP 3.0M
$236₹22.6K
255.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$724COP 2.6M
$146₹14.0K
396.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,791COP 9.9M
$1,078₹103.2K
158.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,211COP 4.3M
$529₹50.6K
129.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kanpur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$512COP 1.8M
$319₹30.6K
60.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
8.49
58.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Last update for Kanpur: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $118 in Kanpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 60% 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 Kanpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $99.0 per month, with Kanpur 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 Kanpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kanpur cheaper than Medellin?
Kanpur is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 175% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Kanpur?
Medellin pays 60% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Kanpur?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $118 in Kanpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $36.77 in Kanpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Kanpur?
Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Kanpur?
At $369 in Kanpur versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kanpur but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kanpur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Kanpur more family-friendly?
For families, Kanpur 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kanpur 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.