😐A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $487 in Ludhiana, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $829 in Ludhiana, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,171 in Ludhiana, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 237% more than Ludhiana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Ludhiana is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$3.47₹331
131.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$10.47₹1,001
361.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$3.80₹363
147.89%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$1.99₹190
47.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$0.37₹35.52
402.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.25₹23.90
484.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.78₹170
80.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$3.71₹355
53.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$0.74₹70.7
94.59%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$0.55₹53.0
336.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$0.85₹81.2
100.00%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$0.83₹79.2
248.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$3.90₹373
157.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$3.03₹290
229.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$2.09₹200
90.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$0.59₹56.8
167.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$0.83₹79.8
159.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$0.36₹34.02
538.89%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$0.27₹25.72
640.74%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$0.32₹30.68
371.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$0.44₹42.13
172.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.36₹33.93
255.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$3.62₹346
6.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$12.65₹1,209
10.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$1.85₹176
-7.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$3.03₹290
-9.57%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$6.80₹650
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.52₹49.51
140.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
$15.56₹1,487
400.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$1.58₹151
-17.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.43₹41.29
404.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$2.07₹198
300.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$1.06₹101
28.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$17.1K₹1.6M
60.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$22.3K₹2.1M
63.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$52.7₹5,039
219.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$3.24₹309
318.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$5.80₹554
388.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$15.34₹1,466
197.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$10.67₹1,020
61.39%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$3.69₹352
80.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$72.2₹6,901
1012.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$1,478₹141.2K
521.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$22.37₹2,137
290.52%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$32.98₹3,151
80.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$70.1₹6,695
98.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$36.31₹3,469
181.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$175₹16.7K
511.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$103₹9,823
535.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$423₹40.4K
355.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$384₹36.7K
172.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$597₹57.0K
590.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$510₹48.8K
232.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ludhiana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$424₹40.5K
54.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
9.17
19.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Ludhiana: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $175 in Ludhiana. 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 55% 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 $10.00 in Ludhiana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $114 – making Ludhiana 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 Ludhiana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Ludhiana compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,641 in Medellin, $487 in Ludhiana – roughly 237% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Ludhiana?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $730 in Ludhiana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Ludhiana?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ludhiana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Ludhiana?
Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $72.2 in Ludhiana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 164% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ludhiana, where all-in costs run around $487, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Ludhiana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Ludhiana?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $487 in Ludhiana to $1,641 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Medellin and Ludhiana?
If budget matters most, go with Ludhiana. 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.