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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $383 in Purnia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $602 in Purnia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $821 in Purnia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 169% more than Purnia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Purnia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Purnia 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92 COP 21.2K
$2.36 ₹222
150.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.17 COP 118.7K
$9.85 ₹925
236.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.25 COP 25.9K
$3.58 ₹336
102.51%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COP 6,137
$1.48 ₹139
15.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 COP 3,915
$0.39 ₹36.84
179.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 COP 2,743
$0.18 ₹16.43
327.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.75 COP 6,254
$2.28 ₹214
-23.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 COP 11.4K
$3.11 ₹292
2.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 COP 3,792
$0.65 ₹61.1
63.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 COP 4,657
$0.45 ₹42.50
188.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COP 4,926
$0.49 ₹46.07
181.63%
Eggs
$2.21 COP 7,908
$1.16 ₹109
90.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.52 COP 16.2K
$3.95 ₹371
14.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.80 COP 20.7K
$2.39 ₹225
142.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.97 COP 32.1K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 COP 8,182
$1.34 ₹126
70.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COP 3,791
$0.78 ₹73.2
35.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 COP 5,411
$1.11 ₹104
36.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.36 COP 4,869
$0.54 ₹51.1
151.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 COP 4,146
$0.35 ₹32.44
231.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 COP 4,174
$0.22 ₹20.59
431.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.83 COP 2,960
$0.48 ₹44.71
72.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 COP 3,043
$0.34 ₹32.14
150.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.35 COP 8,423
$2.51 ₹236
-6.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.09 COP 39.7K
$6.22 ₹584
78.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 COP 4,133
$2.10 ₹198
-45.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COP 8,853
$2.36 ₹222
4.66%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.57 ₹617
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COP 2,827
$0.28 ₹26.17
182.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.85 COP 149.8K
$8.96 ₹841
367.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 COP 5,140
$1.14 ₹107
26.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 COP 6,793
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.70 COP 27.6K
$2.29 ₹215
236.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 COP 3,680
$1.23 ₹116
-16.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7K COP 63.3M
$15.1K ₹1.4M
16.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K COP 96.7M
$33.1K ₹3.1M
-18.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 COP 291.4K
$43.94 ₹4,124
85.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.42 COP 33.7K
$3.20 ₹301
194.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.77 COP 85.1K
$7.60 ₹713
212.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.86 COP 92.6K
$16.19 ₹1,519
59.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.34 COP 69.2K
$7.22 ₹678
167.87%
Cinema Ticket
$4.05 COP 14.5K
$3.89 ₹365
4.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$312 COP 1.1M
$50.6 ₹4,744
518.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,067 COP 21.7M
$1,858 ₹174.4K
226.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 COP 210.7K
$25.95 ₹2,436
126.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.82 COP 117.5K
$28.40 ₹2,666
15.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 COP 359.6K
$41.86 ₹3,929
140.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 COP 380.3K
$36.82 ₹3,456
188.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$490 COP 1.8M
$122 ₹11.4K
301.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$371 COP 1.3M
$76.5 ₹7,182
384.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COP 3.0M
$275 ₹25.8K
204.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$715 COP 2.6M
$178 ₹16.7K
302.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,952 COP 10.6M
$1,277 ₹119.8K
131.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,394 COP 5.0M
$516 ₹48.4K
170.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Purnia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$532 COP 1.9M
$326 ₹30.6K
63.34%
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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Purnia: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $122 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 63% 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 in Medellin versus $10 in Purnia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $95 – 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 169%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $574 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 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 vs Purnia?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $383 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 Medellin or Purnia?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Purnia, where all-in costs run around $383, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.

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