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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $298 in Kollam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $481 in Kollam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $664 in Kollam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 245% more than Kollam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kollam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kollam 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.19 ₹114

417.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$6.86 ₹661

375.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.10 ₹395

79.02%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.30 ₹125

32.31%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 ₹38.58

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.13 ₹12.80

492.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.78 ₹172

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.93 ₹282

8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.63 ₹60.6

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.44 ₹42.31

195.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.48 ₹46.41

191.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$0.87 ₹83.4

148.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.28 ₹509

-16.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.25 ₹217

161.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.16 ₹208

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.63 ₹60.2

76.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.74 ₹71.0

106.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.45 ₹43.31

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.49 ₹47.02

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.36 ₹34.93

213.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.42 ₹40.62

102.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.30 ₹28.58

203.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.55 ₹342

-34.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$2.62 ₹253

372.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.28 ₹220

-47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.82 ₹272

-11.70%

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

$4.48 ₹431

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.11 ₹10.14

663.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.08 ₹778

402.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.14 ₹110

24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.32 ₹30.97

500.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.61 ₹155

375.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.17 ₹113

-15.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$11.4K ₹1.1M

57.76%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.0K ₹1.5M

66.62%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$27.57 ₹2,654

193.11%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.41 ₹328

191.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$5.86 ₹564

312.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$12.04 ₹1,159

108.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.35 ₹1,382

33.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$1.76 ₹169

126.14%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$23.47 ₹2,260

1200.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,548 ₹149.1K

291.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.58 ₹1,789

212.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.42 ₹1,870

65.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$28.25 ₹2,719

256.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$27.39 ₹2,637

293.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$92.9 ₹8,942

413.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$52.4 ₹5,042

618.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$203 ₹19.5K

315.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$129 ₹12.4K

465.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$836 ₹80.4K

284.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$458 ₹44.1K

199.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$527 ₹50.7K

17.15%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kollam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $92.9 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 17% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $7.00 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $93.0 – 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 245% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $448 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 108% 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 $298, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $298 versus $1,031 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.