Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kollam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kollam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $299 in Kollam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $484 in Kollam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $668 in Kollam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 238% more than Kollam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kollam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Kollam 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.14 ₹108

425.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$7.04 ₹671

366.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.96 ₹377

79.04%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.26 ₹120

35.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.40 ₹38.50

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.12 ₹11.83

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.69 ₹161

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.97 ₹283

3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.59 ₹55.8

84.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.47 ₹44.95

168.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.51 ₹48.71

170.59%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$0.82 ₹77.8

167.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.29 ₹504

-16.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.26 ₹215

149.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.24 ₹213

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.58 ₹55.1

82.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.79 ₹75.7

89.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.45 ₹43.00

206.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.48 ₹45.92

139.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.39 ₹37.25

197.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.40 ₹37.75

122.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.30 ₹28.43

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.55 ₹338

-35.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$2.58 ₹246

312.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.20 ₹210

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.88 ₹275

-14.24%

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

$4.63 ₹441

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.12 ₹11.18

616.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$7.82 ₹745

429.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.14 ₹108

28.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.30 ₹28.38

553.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.59 ₹152

386.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.21 ₹115

-21.49%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$11.7K ₹1.1M

54.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$15.9K ₹1.5M

66.54%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$26.84 ₹2,557

206.45%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.29 ₹313

188.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$5.74 ₹547

322.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$12.11 ₹1,153

113.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$14.27 ₹1,359

33.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$1.72 ₹164

128.49%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$23.69 ₹2,257

1206.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,543 ₹147.0K

286.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$18.56 ₹1,768

216.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$19.39 ₹1,847

66.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$28.36 ₹2,702

261.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$27.59 ₹2,628

293.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$92.4 ₹8,802

415.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$52.7 ₹5,017

619.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$198 ₹18.9K

323.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$128 ₹12.2K

466.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$832 ₹79.3K

235.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$458 ₹43.6K

164.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$532 ₹50.6K

-3.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.97

49.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kollam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $92.4 in Kollam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Kollam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $7.00 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $92.0 – making Kollam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kollam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 238% more than Kollam, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $449 in Kollam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kollam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 104% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $7.00 in Kollam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kollam, where all-in costs run around $299, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Kollam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kollam costs $299 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kollam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.