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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $678 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $925 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Medellin is roughly 139% more expensive than Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.21 ₹304

86.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$11.40 ₹1,079

188.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$4.96 ₹469

49.60%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.79 ₹169

-7.82%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.38 ₹35.62

181.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.12 ₹11.60

533.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.77 ₹167

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.97 ₹281

7.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.73 ₹69.0

43.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.40 ₹37.76

227.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.70 ₹65.8

91.43%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$0.97 ₹91.9

125.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$5.35 ₹506

-17.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$2.86 ₹271

98.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.45 ₹232

-4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$0.85 ₹80.6

30.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.31 ₹124

16.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.62 ₹58.2

120.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.37 ₹35.41

210.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.59 ₹56.0

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.42 ₹39.73

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.31 ₹29.23

177.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.04 ₹382

-44.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$8.70 ₹823

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.67 ₹158

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.43 ₹230

2.06%

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

$7.37 ₹697

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.22 ₹20.72

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$2.82 ₹267

1347.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.60 ₹56.5

145.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.29 ₹27.89

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.01 ₹190

286.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.18 ₹112

-14.41%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$15.5K ₹1.5M

14.09%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

15.94%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$42.24 ₹3,997

92.00%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$3.94 ₹372

139.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$7.37 ₹698

223.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$16.33 ₹1,545

59.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$11.68 ₹1,105

60.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$4.08 ₹386

0.25%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$44.11 ₹4,173

613.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$1,596 ₹151.0K

277.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$27.96 ₹2,645

113.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$30.70 ₹2,905

4.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$49.88 ₹4,719

102.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$31.43 ₹2,973

234.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$160 ₹15.2K

202.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$88.0 ₹8,329

314.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$388 ₹36.7K

113.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$192 ₹18.1K

280.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,160 ₹109.7K

157.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$582 ₹55.0K

125.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$398 ₹37.7K

38.27%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $160 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 38% 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 $190 vs $112 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 139% 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.

Medellin pays 38% 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: $485 in Medellin versus $160 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 1348% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,028 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 $430 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 139% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.