Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kolkata (Calcutta) Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kolkata (Calcutta)

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $665 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $905 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Medellin is roughly 135% more expensive than in Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.23 ₹308

82.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$11.45 ₹1,092

187.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.96 ₹473

49.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.88 ₹180

-12.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.40 ₹38.60

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.14 ₹13.79

457.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.70 ₹162

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.97 ₹283

7.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.73 ₹69.5

50.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.43 ₹40.91

193.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.71 ₹67.8

94.37%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$0.97 ₹92.5

124.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.49 ₹524

-18.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.91 ₹277

98.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.50 ₹239

-7.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.80 ₹76.1

32.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.26 ₹120

20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.61 ₹58.6

122.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.37 ₹35.57

205.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.60 ₹57.1

95.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.41 ₹38.97

119.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.31 ₹29.22

190.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.85 ₹367

-42.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.17 ₹874

32.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.68 ₹160

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.43 ₹232

2.06%

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

$7.52 ₹717

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.22 ₹20.93

286.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$2.82 ₹269

1375.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.55 ₹52.8

158.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.32 ₹30.99

509.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.01 ₹192

292.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.24 ₹118

-20.16%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

12.69%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.4K ₹2.1M

19.67%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$42.68 ₹4,070

94.49%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.02 ₹383

141.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$7.21 ₹688

226.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$16.02 ₹1,528

57.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$11.50 ₹1,097

66.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.98 ₹380

-0.75%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$43.92 ₹4,188

619.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,619 ₹154.4K

269.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$27.83 ₹2,654

115.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.44 ₹2,903

4.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$49.24 ₹4,696

106.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$31.37 ₹2,992

242.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$159 ₹15.2K

198.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$88.9 ₹8,481

320.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$387 ₹36.9K

119.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$192 ₹18.3K

274.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,195 ₹113.9K

173.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$578 ₹55.1K

149.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$381 ₹36.3K

63.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.9

35.66%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $159 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 64% 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 $11.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $114 per month, with Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolkata (Calcutta) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 64% 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 $159 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 1376% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kolkata (Calcutta) but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kolkata (Calcutta) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kolkata (Calcutta) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolkata (Calcutta) hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.