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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $365 in Kohima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $570 in Kohima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $774 in Kohima.

Living in Medellin is roughly 361% more expensive than in Kohima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Kohima is 73% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.35 ₹225

241.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$8.67 ₹832

452.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.63 ₹348

172.45%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.55 ₹149

101.94%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.44 ₹41.82

334.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.10 ₹9.39

1410.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.22 ₹117

155.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.35 ₹321

71.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.62 ₹59.5

132.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.43 ₹41.38

479.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.54 ₹52.1

227.78%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$0.85 ₹81.3

248.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$2.79 ₹268

260.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.27 ₹314

209.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.27 ₹218

82.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.71 ₹67.7

126.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.90 ₹86.0

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.65 ₹62.8

246.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.32 ₹30.89

537.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.34 ₹32.47

352.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.31 ₹29.70

277.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.27 ₹25.90

385.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.13 ₹205

83.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.06 ₹677

98.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.64 ₹157

6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.48 ₹238

15.73%

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

$3.12 ₹299

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.23 ₹22.50

430.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$7.24 ₹694

1011.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.73 ₹69.6

79.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.30 ₹29.00

630.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.28 ₹122

580.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.04 ₹100

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

120.72%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$16.2K ₹1.6M

120.68%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$34.86 ₹3,344

408.61%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$3.32 ₹319

318.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$6.35 ₹609

368.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$14.06 ₹1,349

219.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.71 ₹644

155.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.21 ₹308

107.17%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$27.76 ₹2,663

2828.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,198 ₹210.9K

317.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$17.29 ₹1,658

417.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$31.32 ₹3,005

88.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$37.33 ₹3,581

270.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$26.76 ₹2,567

281.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$124 ₹11.9K

759.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$62.8 ₹6,029

954.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$228 ₹21.9K

728.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$163 ₹15.7K

528.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$970 ₹93.1K

331.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$541 ₹51.9K

209.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$202 ₹19.4K

235.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.38

48.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kohima: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $124 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 235% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $9.00 in Kohima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $97.0 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 361% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 235% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $124 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 $9.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $365 in Kohima – a 361% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $365 in Kohima versus $1,681 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 361% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.