Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Purnia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Purnia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $393 in Purnia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $611 in Purnia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $829 in Purnia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 159% more than Purnia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Purnia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Purnia 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.38 ₹226

150.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$9.93 ₹944

235.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.48 ₹331

107.76%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.41 ₹134

15.60%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.39 ₹37.42

179.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.16 ₹15.01

356.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.21 ₹211

-21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.13 ₹298

3.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.65 ₹61.9

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.46 ₹43.84

180.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.45 ₹42.62

193.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.14 ₹109

99.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.90 ₹371

11.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.28 ₹217

157.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.35 ₹128

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.77 ₹72.8

38.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.10 ₹105

38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.54 ₹51.7

162.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.32 ₹30.30

265.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.24 ₹22.95

387.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.48 ₹45.33

85.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.35 ₹32.83

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.58 ₹246

-12.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.24 ₹593

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.01 ₹191

-43.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.38 ₹226

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

$6.71 ₹638

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₹26.56

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$8.57 ₹815

389.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.15 ₹109

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.34 ₹223

231.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.17 ₹111

-13.68%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$15.4K ₹1.5M

14.25%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.0K ₹3.1M

-19.64%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$44.60 ₹4,241

87.62%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.23 ₹308

192.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$7.50 ₹713

221.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$15.87 ₹1,509

59.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.10 ₹675

169.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.73 ₹355

9.92%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$49.51 ₹4,708

530.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,891 ₹179.8K

217.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$26.79 ₹2,548

116.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$27.96 ₹2,659

16.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$43.37 ₹4,125

129.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$37.34 ₹3,551

190.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$126 ₹11.9K

284.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$75.7 ₹7,199

401.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$277 ₹26.3K

202.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$184 ₹17.5K

293.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,243 ₹118.2K

128.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$505 ₹48.0K

142.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$314 ₹29.9K

72.08%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Purnia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 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 72% 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: $190 vs $94.0 – 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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 159%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $590 in Purnia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $393 in Purnia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Purnia, where all-in costs run around $393, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Purnia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.