Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kathmandu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kathmandu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $508 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $787 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,067 in Kathmandu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 98% more expensive than in Kathmandu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Kathmandu 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.79 NPR 273

230.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$19.21 NPR 2,932

71.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.70 NPR 1,022

10.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.92 NPR 293

-14.06%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.54 NPR 83.1

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.19 NPR 29.56

310.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.53 NPR 386

-32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.54 NPR 540

-10.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.87 NPR 133

26.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.58 NPR 89.1

117.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.95 NPR 145

45.26%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.84 NPR 281

18.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.22 NPR 1,407

-51.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.10 NPR 473

86.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.04 NPR 921

48.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.27 NPR 346

2.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.08 NPR 166

-1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.20 NPR 183

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.65 NPR 98.9

109.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.48 NPR 72.9

135.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.67 NPR 102

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.50 NPR 75.6

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.27 NPR 41.40

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.94 NPR 448

-24.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.86 NPR 1,352

36.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.34 NPR 357

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.27 NPR 499

-24.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.21 NPR 31.98

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.03 NPR 1,683

277.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.21 NPR 337

-35.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.06 NPR 162

83.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.73 NPR 569

111.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.24 NPR 189

-20.16%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.4K NPR 4.8M

-43.95%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$41.4K NPR 6.3M

-35.21%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$33.18 NPR 5,064

150.18%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.95 NPR 756

95.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$9.65 NPR 1,473

143.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$21.94 NPR 3,349

15.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.45 NPR 1,137

156.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.21 NPR 491

23.05%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$91.0 NPR 13.9K

247.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,763 NPR 574.3K

58.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$24.49 NPR 3,737

145.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$28.13 NPR 4,293

13.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$59.2 NPR 9,033

71.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$40.39 NPR 6,164

166.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$198 NPR 30.2K

140.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$99.0 NPR 15.1K

277.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$344 NPR 52.5K

146.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$184 NPR 28.0K

291.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,331 NPR 355.7K

40.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,317 NPR 201.0K

9.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$269 NPR 41.1K

132.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.08

11.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $198 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 132% 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 $19.00 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $157 per month, with Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 132% 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 $198 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $19.00 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 $508 in Kathmandu – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $508 in Kathmandu versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kathmandu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kathmandu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $508 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.