Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kottayam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kottayam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $298 in Kottayam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $498 in Kottayam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $697 in Kottayam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 239% more than Kottayam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.19 ₹113

403.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$10.03 ₹955

227.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.96 ₹378

79.04%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$0.61 ₹57.7

180.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.40 ₹38.48

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.16 ₹15.18

387.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.38 ₹131

21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.84 ₹270

8.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.62 ₹59.2

75.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.43 ₹41.24

193.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.78 ₹74.3

76.92%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$0.82 ₹78.1

167.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$2.27 ₹216

93.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.04 ₹289

85.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.29 ₹218

2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.63 ₹59.8

68.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.14 ₹108

31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.49 ₹46.84

181.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.47 ₹45.24

144.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.46 ₹43.39

152.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.40 ₹38.07

122.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.33 ₹31.30

154.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.16 ₹396

-45.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$3.97 ₹378

168.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.72 ₹163

-30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.55 ₹338

-30.42%

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

$4.49 ₹428

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.30 ₹28.61

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$8.52 ₹812

385.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.18 ₹113

24.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.32 ₹30.86

512.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.68 ₹160

360.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.18 ₹112

-19.49%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$9,374 ₹892.9K

93.42%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$15.2K ₹1.4M

74.82%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$27.76 ₹2,644

196.29%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.39 ₹323

180.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$8.49 ₹809

185.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$8.86 ₹844

192.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$11.69 ₹1,114

62.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.10 ₹200

87.14%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$57.6 ₹5,482

437.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,564 ₹149.0K

281.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$23.36 ₹2,225

151.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$17.48 ₹1,665

85.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$25.68 ₹2,446

299.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$17.46 ₹1,663

521.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$139 ₹13.2K

243.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$58.0 ₹5,527

552.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$287 ₹27.4K

191.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$165 ₹15.7K

338.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$957 ₹91.1K

191.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$548 ₹52.2K

121.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$291 ₹27.8K

75.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.36

43.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kottayam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $139 in Kottayam. 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 76% 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 $10.00 in Kottayam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $93.0 – making Kottayam 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 Kottayam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 239% more than Kottayam, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $448 in Kottayam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $298 in Kottayam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 386% less in Kottayam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kottayam, where all-in costs run around $298, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Kottayam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kottayam costs $298 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kottayam. 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.