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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $448 in Kirtipur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Kirtipur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $991 in Kirtipur, rent included.

Medellin costs about 124% more than Kirtipur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kirtipur are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Kirtipur 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.86 NPR 284

217.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$18.58 NPR 2,836

77.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.39 NPR 975

16.28%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.85 NPR 283

-10.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.54 NPR 81.7

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.16 NPR 24.86

387.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.61 NPR 399

-34.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.63 NPR 554

-12.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.71 NPR 109

54.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.54 NPR 83.0

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.92 NPR 141

50.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.80 NPR 275

21.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.24 NPR 1,411

-51.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.24 NPR 494

78.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.04 NPR 922

48.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.17 NPR 332

6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.10 NPR 168

-3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.20 NPR 183

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.68 NPR 104

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.51 NPR 78.1

121.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.67 NPR 103

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.50 NPR 76.0

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.25 NPR 37.70

260.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.93 NPR 447

-23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.55 NPR 1,304

41.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.34 NPR 358

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.26 NPR 498

-23.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.19 NPR 29.54

347.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.15 NPR 329

-33.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.11 NPR 169

75.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.70 NPR 564

113.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.26 NPR 192

-21.43%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.6K NPR 5.0M

-45.95%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$40.9K NPR 6.2M

-34.41%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$32.99 NPR 5,035

151.62%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.78 NPR 729

102.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$9.90 NPR 1,510

137.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$18.15 NPR 2,770

39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.19 NPR 487

23.82%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$36.06 NPR 5,504

775.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,722 NPR 568.1K

60.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$24.53 NPR 3,743

144.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.85 NPR 4,251

14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$58.6 NPR 8,947

73.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$39.62 NPR 6,046

171.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$105 NPR 16.0K

351.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$63.8 NPR 9,730

486.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$210 NPR 32.0K

304.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$142 NPR 21.7K

405.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kirtipur: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $105 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: $193 vs $154 – 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 124%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $673 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $448 in Kirtipur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $36.06 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 $448, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.