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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $281 in Kollam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $456 in Kollam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $630 in Kollam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 498% more than Kollam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kollam is 79% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.02 ₹98.0

686.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$6.14 ₹589

679.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.59 ₹345

175.49%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.40 ₹134

123.57%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.41 ₹39.29

365.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.15 ₹14.58

906.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.12 ₹107

178.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.68 ₹257

114.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.57 ₹54.8

152.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.40 ₹38.54

522.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.47 ₹45.22

276.60%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$0.75 ₹71.5

294.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.27 ₹506

91.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.04 ₹196

396.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.64 ₹158

152.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.58 ₹56.0

177.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.68 ₹64.8

230.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.39 ₹37.50

476.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.43 ₹41.44

374.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.35 ₹33.89

340.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.36 ₹34.46

225.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.30 ₹29.07

336.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.09 ₹488

-23.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$2.64 ₹254

430.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.67 ₹160

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.75 ₹264

4.36%

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

$4.16 ₹399

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.15 ₹14.47

713.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$7.16 ₹687

1024.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.02 ₹98.1

28.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.26 ₹24.91

742.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.60 ₹154

444.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.06 ₹102

29.25%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$10.4K ₹999.3K

167.25%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$16.4K ₹1.6M

117.90%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$32.97 ₹3,163

437.76%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$2.93 ₹281

373.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$5.23 ₹502

468.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$13.31 ₹1,277

237.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$12.75 ₹1,223

34.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$1.53 ₹147

334.64%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$20.74 ₹1,990

3819.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,328 ₹127.4K

591.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$16.33 ₹1,567

448.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$21.68 ₹2,080

172.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$24.98 ₹2,396

453.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$24.08 ₹2,310

324.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$82.3 ₹7,892

1191.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$46.28 ₹4,441

1332.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$182 ₹17.5K

937.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$114 ₹10.9K

800.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$828 ₹79.4K

405.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$443 ₹42.5K

278.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$530 ₹50.9K

27.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.13

19.82%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kollam: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $82.3 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 28% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $6.00 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $83.0 – 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 498% 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $422 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 266% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $6.00 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 $281, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $281 versus $1,681 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.