Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kirtipur Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kirtipur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $436 in Kirtipur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $712 in Kirtipur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $988 in Kirtipur, rent included.

Medellin costs about 133% more than Kirtipur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kirtipur are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Kirtipur 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.77 NPR 269

236.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$18.62 NPR 2,834

79.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.39 NPR 973

13.15%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.93 NPR 293

-15.54%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.51 NPR 77.0

113.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.17 NPR 25.28

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.55 NPR 388

-31.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.71 NPR 565

-12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.70 NPR 107

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.56 NPR 85.2

130.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.93 NPR 141

41.94%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.77 NPR 269

28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.97 NPR 1,364

-51.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.14 NPR 478

87.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.03 NPR 918

42.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.26 NPR 344

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.05 NPR 160

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.24 NPR 188

22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.70 NPR 106

102.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.48 NPR 72.5

143.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.67 NPR 103

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.49 NPR 75.0

81.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.25 NPR 37.99

260.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.85 NPR 433

-21.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.96 NPR 1,211

38.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.26 NPR 344

-49.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.31 NPR 504

-28.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.19 NPR 28.48

342.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.21 NPR 337

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.10 NPR 167

72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.66 NPR 557

111.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.26 NPR 192

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.0K NPR 4.9M

-45.14%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$40.6K NPR 6.2M

-34.80%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$33.34 NPR 5,073

150.99%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.82 NPR 734

96.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$9.89 NPR 1,506

143.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$18.51 NPR 2,816

36.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.20 NPR 488

28.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$36.09 NPR 5,492

764.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,735 NPR 568.4K

60.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$25.19 NPR 3,833

130.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$27.44 NPR 4,176

18.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$57.6 NPR 8,769

72.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$40.34 NPR 6,139

169.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$103 NPR 15.7K

367.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$64.4 NPR 9,802

489.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$203 NPR 30.9K

312.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$144 NPR 21.9K

401.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kirtipur: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $103 in Kirtipur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Kirtipur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $152 – making Kirtipur 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 Kirtipur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 133%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $654 in Kirtipur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kirtipur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $436 in Kirtipur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $36.09 in Kirtipur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kirtipur, where all-in costs run around $436, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Kirtipur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kirtipur – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kirtipur. 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.