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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $387 in Kohima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $617 in Kohima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $847 in Kohima.

Living in Medellin is roughly 167% more expensive than Kohima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kohima 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.37 ₹131

332.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$9.68 ₹919

238.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.97 ₹377

81.36%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.68 ₹160

1.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.36 ₹34.27

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.12 ₹11.21

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.37 ₹130

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.20 ₹304

-3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.74 ₹70.0

43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.46 ₹43.85

171.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.57 ₹54.2

143.86%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$0.89 ₹84.2

153.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.05 ₹290

41.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.21 ₹305

81.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.87 ₹177

19.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.73 ₹69.3

47.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.96 ₹91.3

59.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.79 ₹75.3

73.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.29 ₹27.32

289.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.39 ₹36.87

187.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.40 ₹37.62

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.30 ₹28.57

203.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.35 ₹223

-0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.25 ₹689

53.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.55 ₹147

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.81 ₹267

-15.66%

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

$3.58 ₹340

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.30 ₹28.78

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$8.69 ₹825

373.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.80 ₹75.7

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.24 ₹22.64

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.46 ₹139

449.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.17 ₹111

-19.66%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

30.84%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

48.79%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$39.70 ₹3,769

111.49%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.36 ₹319

185.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$5.42 ₹515

345.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$15.84 ₹1,504

63.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.97 ₹662

173.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.86 ₹272

37.06%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$32.77 ₹3,111

834.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,976 ₹187.6K

199.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$25.21 ₹2,394

129.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$35.10 ₹3,332

-9.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$45.78 ₹4,346

118.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$43.37 ₹4,118

147.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$126 ₹11.9K

287.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$76.2 ₹7,237

382.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$271 ₹25.7K

204.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$183 ₹17.4K

290.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,035 ₹98.3K

182.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$518 ₹49.1K

171.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$211 ₹20.0K

159.11%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kohima: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $126 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 159% 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 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 159% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $126 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $387 in Kohima – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $387 in Kohima versus $1,034 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 167% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.