Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lucknow Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lucknow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $398 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $637 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $876 in Lucknow.

Living in Medellin is roughly 159% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Lucknow 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.37 ₹228

159.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$11.62 ₹1,120

180.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.43 ₹331

113.99%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.50 ₹145

14.67%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.33 ₹32.06

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.13 ₹12.13

492.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.69 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.49 ₹240

27.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.78 ₹75.7

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.52 ₹50.3

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.65 ₹62.8

115.38%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$0.99 ₹95.4

118.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.70 ₹357

18.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.71 ₹262

116.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.78 ₹172

28.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.65 ₹62.3

70.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.87 ₹83.5

75.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.56 ₹54.3

141.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.32 ₹31.24

253.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.45 ₹43.53

151.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.35 ₹33.50

142.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.34 ₹32.42

167.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.93 ₹379

-40.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.07 ₹778

53.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.64 ₹158

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.83 ₹273

-12.01%

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

$5.78 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.49 ₹46.83

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.28 ₹992

294.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.14 ₹110

24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.42 ₹40.24

357.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.38 ₹133

455.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.21 ₹117

-18.18%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$15.5K ₹1.5M

16.01%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.8K ₹2.3M

11.73%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$43.20 ₹4,166

87.06%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.64 ₹351

173.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$7.64 ₹737

216.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$22.05 ₹2,126

13.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$8.81 ₹849

117.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.47 ₹334

14.70%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$56.6 ₹5,456

439.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,645 ₹158.6K

268.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.76 ₹2,581

117.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.48 ₹2,361

31.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$41.50 ₹4,002

142.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$25.11 ₹2,421

329.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$148 ₹14.3K

222.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$88.8 ₹8,564

323.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$356 ₹34.3K

137.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$210 ₹20.2K

248.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,152 ₹111.1K

179.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$527 ₹50.8K

160.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$360 ₹34.7K

71.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.72

54.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $148 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 71% 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 Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $101 per month, with Lucknow 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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucknow is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $148 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lucknow – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $398 in Lucknow – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $398 in Lucknow versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lucknow but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Lucknow the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lucknow is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.