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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $400 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $641 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $881 in Lucknow.

Living in Medellin is roughly 153% more expensive than Lucknow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Lucknow 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.39 ₹228

150.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$11.44 ₹1,095

187.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.54 ₹339

100.28%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.50 ₹143

14.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.34 ₹32.07

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.13 ₹12.37

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.79 ₹171

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.54 ₹244

20.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.78 ₹74.7

39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.49 ₹46.76

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.71 ₹68.0

94.37%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.04 ₹99.1

110.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.68 ₹352

19.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.76 ₹264

103.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.75 ₹167

33.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.66 ₹63.2

60.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.88 ₹84.3

70.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.56 ₹54.0

146.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.35 ₹33.95

228.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.49 ₹47.06

136.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.37 ₹35.82

140.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.36 ₹34.78

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.78 ₹362

-39.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.76 ₹743

37.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.64 ₹157

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.85 ₹273

-13.33%

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

$5.51 ₹527

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.49 ₹46.67

75.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$10.42 ₹997

297.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.15 ₹110

27.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.38 ₹36.73

415.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.39 ₹133

456.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.17 ₹112

-18.80%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

16.01%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$23.6K ₹2.3M

12.35%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$44.86 ₹4,293

83.35%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.65 ₹349

160.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$7.52 ₹719

222.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$22.11 ₹2,116

17.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$9.33 ₹893

103.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.55 ₹339

10.70%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$57.1 ₹5,461

442.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,631 ₹156.1K

265.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$26.33 ₹2,519

122.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$24.82 ₹2,375

30.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$41.55 ₹3,976

146.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$25.31 ₹2,422

328.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$147 ₹14.1K

223.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$85.9 ₹8,219

341.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$346 ₹33.1K

142.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$210 ₹20.1K

244.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,183 ₹113.2K

135.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$535 ₹51.2K

126.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$369 ₹35.3K

38.56%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $147 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 39% 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 $11.00 in Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 39% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $147 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 $11.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $400 in Lucknow – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $400 in Lucknow versus $1,013 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 153% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.