😐A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $384 in Purnia, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $603 in Purnia, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $821 in Purnia, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 161% more than Purnia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Medellin and Purnia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin25% lower, Purnia71% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.9K
$2.30₹220
156.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 105.2K
$9.64₹922
241.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.7K
$3.56₹341
108.71%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,276
$1.41₹135
17.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,514
$0.37₹35.16
197.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,491
$0.17₹16.11
358.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,484
$2.31₹221
-25.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.1K
$3.10₹297
2.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,521
$0.69₹66.2
59.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,015
$0.45₹43.14
180.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,407
$0.49₹46.65
181.63%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,950
$1.11₹106
96.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.3K
$3.94₹377
13.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.5K
$2.29₹219
152.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.6K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,405
$1.38₹132
68.12%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,397
$0.84₹80.1
26.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,838
$1.06₹102
43.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,327
$0.58₹55.7
134.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,599
$0.34₹32.73
232.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,738
$0.24₹22.96
387.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,876
$0.52₹49.99
73.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,861
$0.34₹32.72
164.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,128
$2.49₹238
-10.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.7K
$6.21₹594
95.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,793
$2.11₹202
-43.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,920
$2.39₹229
3.77%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$6.63₹634
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,723
$0.30₹28.94
183.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 132.8K
$8.46₹809
391.96%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,518
$1.14₹109
24.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,223
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 25.2K
$2.29₹219
244.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,160
$1.23₹118
-19.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 56.2M
$15.4K₹1.5M
14.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 85.5M
$32.6K₹3.1M
-17.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 264.9K
$43.98₹4,206
88.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.9K
$3.30₹316
193.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 75.0K
$7.55₹722
211.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 80.6K
$15.76₹1,507
60.28%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.9K
$6.87₹657
178.02%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.6K
$3.68₹352
7.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 1.0M
$50.4₹4,823
526.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 19.1M
$1,828₹174.8K
226.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 191.4K
$26.48₹2,532
126.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 101.5K
$27.38₹2,618
16.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 324.4K
$42.15₹4,031
141.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 342.8K
$37.67₹3,602
185.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$126₹12.0K
278.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$76.7₹7,338
387.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$272₹26.0K
212.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$180₹17.3K
298.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.4M
$1,007₹96.4K
224.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.6M
$520₹49.7K
177.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
$318₹30.4K
96.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
9.05
48.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Last update for Purnia: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $126 in Purnia. 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 96% 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 Purnia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $96.0 – making Purnia 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 Purnia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Purnia cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 161%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $576 in Purnia. 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 Purnia, 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 Purnia?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $10.00 in Purnia. 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 Purnia?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $384 in Purnia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Purnia?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Purnia, where all-in costs run around $384, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Purnia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Purnia more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Purnia – 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 Purnia. 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.