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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $451 in Kirtipur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $722 in Kirtipur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $994 in Kirtipur, rent included.

Medellin costs about 129% more than Kirtipur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kirtipur are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kirtipur 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.84 NPR 280

221.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.73 NPR 2,845

74.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.63 NPR 1,007

8.60%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.83 NPR 278

-7.10%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.54 NPR 81.4

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.16 NPR 23.65

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.61 NPR 397

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.61 NPR 548

-14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.75 NPR 115

41.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.55 NPR 83.9

127.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.93 NPR 142

49.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.85 NPR 281

22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.90 NPR 1,352

-51.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.12 NPR 475

87.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.26 NPR 951

41.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.16 NPR 329

3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.10 NPR 167

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.24 NPR 189

23.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.64 NPR 97.0

114.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.48 NPR 72.6

135.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.72 NPR 109

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.49 NPR 74.3

73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.25 NPR 37.75

264.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.94 NPR 446

-20.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.58 NPR 1,000

69.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.37 NPR 360

-49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.32 NPR 504

-28.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.18 NPR 27.14

338.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.15 NPR 327

-33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.05 NPR 159

81.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.69 NPR 560

117.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.26 NPR 191

-25.40%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-43.09%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$40.4K NPR 6.1M

-33.75%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$33.05 NPR 5,020

154.04%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.99 NPR 759

92.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$9.71 NPR 1,475

148.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$18.50 NPR 2,810

39.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.36 NPR 510

16.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.32 NPR 5,517

743.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,827 NPR 581.3K

54.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$24.52 NPR 3,725

136.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.71 NPR 4,209

14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$59.1 NPR 8,975

69.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$39.90 NPR 6,060

168.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$104 NPR 15.8K

368.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$64.7 NPR 9,835

468.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$202 NPR 30.7K

308.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$148 NPR 22.5K

384.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kirtipur: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $104 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 $150 – 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 129%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $676 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $451 in Kirtipur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $36.32 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 $451, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.