😐A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $409 in Ranchi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $638 in Ranchi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $867 in Ranchi, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 302% more than Ranchi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Ranchi is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$3.15₹301
155.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$10.78₹1,030
347.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$4.66₹445
102.15%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$1.52₹145
93.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$0.40₹38.27
365.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.16₹15.11
812.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.79₹171
79.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$2.89₹277
97.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$0.64₹61.2
125.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$0.42₹39.90
471.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$0.42₹39.97
304.76%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$1.03₹98.7
180.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$4.74₹453
112.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$2.16₹206
361.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$1.37₹131
190.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$0.64₹61.5
146.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$0.69₹65.5
211.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$0.49₹46.60
369.39%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$0.33₹31.60
506.06%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$0.43₹41.55
251.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$0.29₹27.65
313.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.29₹27.83
341.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$4.06₹388
-5.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$4.89₹467
186.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$1.01₹96.3
69.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$2.10₹201
30.48%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$4.07₹389
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.22₹21.05
468.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
$21.29₹2,034
265.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$1.56₹149
-16.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.22₹21.02
886.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$0.76₹72.5
990.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$1.10₹105
23.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$9,042₹863.8K
203.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$17.6K₹1.7M
107.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$66.0₹6,308
155.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$3.46₹331
292.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$6.67₹637
324.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$21.95₹2,097
108.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$13.91₹1,329
23.80%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$2.92₹279
127.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$58.8₹5,613
1267.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$1,314₹125.5K
599.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$21.18₹2,024
312.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$26.05₹2,489
127.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$43.77₹4,182
217.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$27.79₹2,655
267.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$95.2₹9,093
1025.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$71.2₹6,800
817.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$239₹22.8K
706.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$155₹14.8K
577.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$1,125₹107.4K
266.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$727₹69.5K
133.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$388₹37.1K
68.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
14.92
-26.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Ranchi: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $95.2 in Ranchi. 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 69% 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 $11.00 in Ranchi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $83.0 – making Ranchi 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 Ranchi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ranchi cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 302%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $613 in Ranchi. 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 Ranchi, 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 Ranchi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Ranchi. 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 Ranchi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $409 in Ranchi. 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 Ranchi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ranchi, where all-in costs run around $409, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Ranchi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Ranchi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ranchi – 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 Ranchi. 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.