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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $431 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $679 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $926 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Medellin is roughly 140% 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

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.11 ₹296

90.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$11.85 ₹1,125

176.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.04 ₹478

42.86%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.82 ₹172

-6.59%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.41 ₹38.72

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.16 ₹14.95

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.79 ₹170

-6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.86 ₹271

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.72 ₹68.8

47.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.40 ₹37.81

212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.69 ₹65.9

101.45%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.02 ₹96.6

121.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.33 ₹506

-18.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.95 ₹280

97.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.43 ₹231

-7.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.81 ₹76.5

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.26 ₹120

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.65 ₹61.7

110.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.40 ₹38.28

182.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.60 ₹56.6

86.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.45 ₹42.57

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.30 ₹28.90

203.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.85 ₹366

-39.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.30 ₹883

19.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.67 ₹159

-28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.43 ₹231

-2.47%

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

$7.42 ₹705

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.24 ₹22.90

229.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$2.82 ₹268

1358.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.60 ₹56.9

140.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.32 ₹30.63

496.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.08 ₹197

285.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.24 ₹118

-24.19%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$15.4K ₹1.5M

16.28%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$22.3K ₹2.1M

20.02%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$41.22 ₹3,914

103.69%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.96 ₹376

142.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$7.35 ₹698

228.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$16.12 ₹1,530

60.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$11.59 ₹1,101

64.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.14 ₹393

-5.31%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$43.87 ₹4,165

598.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,598 ₹151.7K

270.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$28.71 ₹2,726

101.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$29.95 ₹2,843

6.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$50.2 ₹4,765

99.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$31.26 ₹2,968

242.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$162 ₹15.3K

201.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$87.7 ₹8,328

319.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$383 ₹36.3K

115.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$195 ₹18.5K

268.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,159 ₹110.0K

152.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$564 ₹53.5K

149.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$421 ₹40.0K

29.42%

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: April 27, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 29% 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 $12.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 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 140% 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 29% 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 $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $431 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 1359% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $431 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,034 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 $431 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 140% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.