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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $382 in Kohima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $615 in Kohima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $848 in Kohima.

Living in Medellin is roughly 162% more expensive than in Kohima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Kohima 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.39 ₹133

325.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$9.82 ₹936

235.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.98 ₹380

86.68%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.72 ₹164

-4.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.34 ₹32.35

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.12 ₹11.67

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.37 ₹131

25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.28 ₹313

-3.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.74 ₹70.5

48.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.44 ₹41.87

186.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.54 ₹51.7

155.56%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$0.97 ₹92.7

124.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.16 ₹301

42.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.29 ₹314

75.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.84 ₹175

26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.70 ₹66.7

51.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.96 ₹91.7

58.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.77 ₹73.7

76.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.29 ₹27.62

289.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.38 ₹36.63

207.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.37 ₹35.11

143.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.28 ₹26.53

221.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.38 ₹227

-6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.08 ₹676

71.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.47 ₹141

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.87 ₹274

-13.59%

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

$3.58 ₹342

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.30 ₹29.00

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$8.86 ₹845

369.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.74 ₹70.8

91.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.26 ₹24.96

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.48 ₹141

433.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.11 ₹106

-10.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

28.16%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

48.95%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$41.01 ₹3,911

102.41%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$3.36 ₹320

188.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$5.49 ₹523

328.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$16.00 ₹1,526

57.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$6.92 ₹660

176.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.96 ₹282

33.45%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$32.35 ₹3,085

876.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,902 ₹181.4K

214.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$25.84 ₹2,464

132.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$35.89 ₹3,423

-11.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$47.01 ₹4,483

116.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$42.17 ₹4,022

154.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$123 ₹11.7K

287.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$77.6 ₹7,400

381.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$274 ₹26.1K

210.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$183 ₹17.5K

292.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,093 ₹104.2K

198.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$481 ₹45.9K

199.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$203 ₹19.3K

208.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kohima: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $123 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 208% 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 $193 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 162% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 208% 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 $123 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $382 in Kohima – a 162% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $382 in Kohima versus $1,003 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 162% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.