Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kohima Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kohima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $386 in Kohima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $617 in Kohima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $848 in Kohima.

Living in Medellin is roughly 163% more expensive than Kohima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kohima 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.44 ₹137

313.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$9.75 ₹927

241.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.15 ₹395

74.22%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.71 ₹162

-4.68%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.34 ₹32.17

220.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.13 ₹12.31

461.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.42 ₹135

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.18 ₹303

1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.71 ₹67.2

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.43 ₹41.33

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.54 ₹51.3

144.44%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$0.96 ₹90.9

136.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.18 ₹303

36.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.33 ₹317

76.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.92 ₹182

17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.69 ₹65.7

55.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.94 ₹89.7

61.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.83 ₹79.4

71.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.29 ₹27.45

303.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.38 ₹36.54

207.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.37 ₹34.72

140.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.28 ₹26.52

221.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.35 ₹224

-4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.13 ₹678

54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.54 ₹146

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.87 ₹273

-17.07%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.45 ₹329

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₹26.52

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$8.68 ₹825

383.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.76 ₹72.0

85.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 ₹22.64

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.47 ₹140

427.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.12 ₹107

-9.82%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$14.1K ₹1.3M

24.26%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

46.90%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$40.20 ₹3,823

108.16%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.45 ₹328

173.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$5.49 ₹522

339.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$16.19 ₹1,540

56.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.21 ₹686

165.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.86 ₹272

43.36%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$32.89 ₹3,128

848.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,972 ₹187.6K

203.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$25.16 ₹2,392

130.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$36.02 ₹3,425

-9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$46.56 ₹4,427

113.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$43.44 ₹4,131

149.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$122 ₹11.6K

296.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$75.4 ₹7,168

403.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$272 ₹25.9K

207.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$179 ₹17.0K

303.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$859 ₹81.7K

230.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$578 ₹55.0K

111.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$207 ₹19.7K

161.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.38

81.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kohima: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $122 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 162% 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 $10.00 in Kohima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $99.0 per month, with Kohima 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 Kohima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kohima is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 162% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $122 in Kohima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kohima – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $386 in Kohima – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $386 in Kohima versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kohima but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kohima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kohima 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kohima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kohima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.