😐A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $764 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,282 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,801 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 121% more than Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Mumbai (Bombay) is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.89COP 24.2K
$5.16₹494
52.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.53COP 136.5K
$21.27₹2,036
109.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.29COP 28.5K
$4.15₹397
123.86%
Cappuccino
$2.90COP 8,874
$2.80₹268
3.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81COP 5,541
$0.39₹37.79
364.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55COP 4,741
$0.12₹11.50
1191.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.25COP 9,962
$2.65₹254
22.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88COP 18.0K
$4.20₹402
40.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38COP 4,230
$0.74₹71.3
86.49%
White Bread(500g)
$2.45COP 7,517
$0.53₹51.0
362.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,617
$0.72₹68.8
109.72%
Eggs
$2.78COP 8,516
$1.01₹96.6
175.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.05COP 27.7K
$5.64₹540
60.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.65COP 32.6K
$3.55₹339
200.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.63COP 44.8K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.97COP 12.2K
$2.24₹214
77.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,219
$0.76₹72.4
81.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,056
$1.28₹122
79.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.02COP 6,185
$0.53₹50.4
281.13%
Potato(1kg)
$2.09COP 6,390
$0.34₹32.94
514.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.63COP 4,996
$0.38₹36.76
328.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08COP 3,313
$0.47₹44.64
129.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25COP 3,843
$0.28₹26.39
346.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.03COP 12.4K
$4.88₹467
-17.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.47COP 41.3K
$8.60₹823
56.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60COP 4,904
$2.07₹198
-22.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00COP 9,189
$2.99₹286
0.33%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$6.20₹594
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.18COP 3,611
$0.22₹21.09
436.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$79.9COP 244.9K
$5.45₹522
1366.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.61COP 4,920
$0.30₹28.40
436.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13COP 6,533
$0.30₹28.53
610.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.52COP 26.1K
$1.61₹154
429.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35COP 4,142
$1.12₹108
20.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3KCOP 86.8M
$16.1K₹1.5M
75.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7KCOP 109.4M
$22.2K₹2.1M
60.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151COP 463.8K
$60.8₹5,817
149.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.10COP 40.1K
$4.52₹432
189.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.30COP 99.0K
$9.53₹912
238.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.33COP 141.9K
$25.53₹2,443
81.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.26COP 52.9K
$13.83₹1,324
24.80%
Cinema Ticket
$6.43COP 19.7K
$4.40₹421
46.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$835COP 2.6M
$117₹11.1K
616.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,887COP 27.2M
$5,091₹487.2K
74.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.3COP 273.7K
$34.87₹3,337
156.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3COP 169.5K
$37.49₹3,588
47.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$137COP 418.5K
$59.0₹5,647
131.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109COP 335.1K
$45.82₹4,384
138.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$952COP 2.9M
$657₹62.8K
44.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$668COP 2.0M
$349₹33.4K
91.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,020COP 6.2M
$1,922₹183.9K
5.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,148COP 3.5M
$852₹81.5K
34.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,696COP 11.3M
$6,138₹587.4K
-39.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,586COP 4.9M
$2,470₹236.4K
-35.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Mumbai (Bombay)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$625COP 1.9M
$788₹75.4K
-20.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.43
8.45
23.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026
Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): August 17, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $657 in Mumbai (Bombay). 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 26% higher in Mumbai (Bombay), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $118 – making Mumbai (Bombay) 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 Mumbai (Bombay): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mumbai (Bombay) cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 121%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,146 in Mumbai (Bombay). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mumbai (Bombay), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Mumbai (Bombay)?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Mumbai (Bombay)?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $764 in Mumbai (Bombay). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Mumbai (Bombay)?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mumbai (Bombay), where all-in costs run around $764, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Mumbai (Bombay) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Mumbai (Bombay) more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Mumbai (Bombay) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mumbai (Bombay). 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.