😐A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $450 in Ranchi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $687 in Ranchi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $924 in Ranchi, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 126% more than Ranchi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Medellin and Ranchi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin24% lower, Ranchi67% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.95COP 21.2K
$3.13₹298
90.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.33COP 118.9K
$11.22₹1,070
197.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.23COP 25.8K
$5.98₹570
20.90%
Cappuccino
$1.63COP 5,811
$1.47₹140
10.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09COP 3,904
$0.42₹40.48
159.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73COP 2,604
$0.11₹10.76
563.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.74COP 6,197
$2.39₹228
-27.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23COP 11.5K
$3.95₹377
-18.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05COP 3,742
$0.66₹63.2
59.09%
White Bread(500g)
$1.29COP 4,614
$0.37₹35.54
248.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32COP 4,718
$0.47₹45.02
180.85%
Eggs
$2.27COP 8,101
$1.00₹95.4
127.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.35COP 15.5K
$5.08₹485
-14.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.88COP 21.0K
$2.23₹213
163.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.61COP 30.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.25COP 8,015
$1.42₹136
58.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07COP 3,814
$0.67₹63.6
59.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 5,438
$0.80₹75.9
90.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.42COP 5,073
$0.51₹48.61
178.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.17COP 4,173
$0.38₹36.54
207.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 4,166
$0.47₹44.40
148.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,163
$0.34₹32.53
161.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 3,215
$0.31₹29.88
190.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25COP 8,008
$4.03₹384
-44.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.04COP 39.4K
$4.74₹452
132.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14COP 4,063
$1.07₹102
6.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38COP 8,483
$2.36₹225
0.85%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$4.45₹424
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.84COP 2,979
$0.22₹20.87
281.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.95COP 149.6K
$23.53₹2,243
78.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41COP 5,019
$1.69₹161
-16.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.90COP 6,779
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.75COP 27.6K
$1.18₹113
556.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.01COP 3,586
$1.16₹111
-12.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 62.7M
$8,849₹843.6K
98.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.5M
$20.7K₹2.0M
27.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.7COP 298.4K
$69.7₹6,643
20.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.45COP 33.7K
$5.46₹521
73.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.11COP 86.0K
$7.57₹722
218.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.31COP 90.3K
$21.23₹2,024
19.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.14COP 68.3K
$12.27₹1,170
55.99%
Cinema Ticket
$4.10COP 14.6K
$2.95₹282
38.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$312COP 1.1M
$49.41₹4,711
531.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,993COP 21.4M
$1,450₹138.2K
313.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0COP 207.0K
$33.49₹3,193
73.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.56COP 116.1K
$32.41₹3,090
0.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.6COP 355.3K
$47.62₹4,540
109.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109COP 387.1K
$30.18₹2,877
259.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$482COP 1.7M
$114₹10.9K
322.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.4M
$78.1₹7,449
385.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$837COP 3.0M
$252₹24.0K
232.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$723COP 2.6M
$187₹17.9K
285.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,840COP 10.1M
$1,141₹108.8K
148.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,223COP 4.4M
$718₹68.4K
70.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ranchi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$541COP 1.9M
$318₹30.3K
70.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
13.94
-3.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Last update for Ranchi: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $114 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 70% 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 $11.00 in Ranchi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $86.0 – 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 126%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $675 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 Ranchi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 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 vs Ranchi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $450 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 Medellin or Ranchi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ranchi, where all-in costs run around $450, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.