😐A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $352 in Ratlam, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $514 in Ratlam, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $676 in Ratlam, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 189% more than Ratlam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Medellin and Ratlam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin24% lower, Ratlam74% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.95COP 21.1K
$1.94₹185
206.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.33COP 118.2K
$7.06₹673
372.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.23COP 25.7K
$2.90₹276
149.31%
Cappuccino
$1.63COP 5,779
$1.58₹150
3.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09COP 3,882
$0.33₹31.87
230.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73COP 2,590
$0.17₹16.15
329.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.74COP 6,163
$2.28₹217
-23.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23COP 11.5K
$5.15₹491
-37.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05COP 3,721
$0.60₹57.3
75.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.29COP 4,588
$0.45₹42.86
186.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32COP 4,692
$0.66₹63.1
100.00%
Eggs
$2.27COP 8,055
$0.88₹83.9
157.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.35COP 15.4K
$4.73₹451
-8.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.88COP 20.9K
$2.39₹227
146.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.61COP 30.5K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,970
$2.33₹222
-3.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07COP 3,793
$0.45₹43.21
137.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 5,408
$0.97₹92.1
56.70%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.42COP 5,045
$0.82₹78.3
73.17%
Potato(1kg)
$1.17COP 4,150
$0.17₹16.55
588.24%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 4,143
$0.22₹20.95
431.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,146
$0.54₹51.1
64.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 3,197
$0.36₹34.74
150.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25COP 7,963
$3.39₹323
-33.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.04COP 39.2K
$7.87₹750
40.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14COP 4,041
$1.52₹145
-25.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38COP 8,435
$2.13₹203
11.74%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$5.74₹547
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.84COP 2,963
$0.30₹28.96
180.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.95COP 148.8K
$8.67₹826
383.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41COP 4,991
$0.69₹66.0
104.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.90COP 6,742
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.75COP 27.5K
$1.48₹141
423.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.01COP 3,566
$1.20₹114
-15.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 62.3M
$15.4K₹1.5M
14.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.0M
$20.2K₹1.9M
30.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.7COP 296.8K
$28.65₹2,729
192.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.45COP 33.5K
$3.88₹369
143.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.11COP 85.5K
$5.70₹543
322.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.31COP 89.8K
$5.86₹558
331.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.14COP 67.9K
$6.82₹650
180.65%
Cinema Ticket
$4.10COP 14.5K
$3.58₹341
14.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$312COP 1.1M
$63.4₹6,041
391.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,993COP 21.3M
$1,084₹103.3K
452.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0COP 205.8K
$8.24₹785
604.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.56COP 115.5K
$9.07₹864
258.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.6COP 353.3K
$17.56₹1,672
467.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109COP 384.9K
$29.53₹2,813
267.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$482COP 1.7M
$134₹12.8K
259.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.3M
$92.0₹8,761
312.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$837COP 3.0M
$174₹16.6K
380.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$723COP 2.6M
$148₹14.1K
389.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,840COP 10.1M
$2,270₹216.2K
25.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,223COP 4.3M
$669₹63.7K
82.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$541COP 1.9M
$386₹36.7K
40.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
9.1
47.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Last update for Ratlam: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $134 in Ratlam. 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 40% 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 $7.00 in Ratlam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $100 – making Ratlam 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 Ratlam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ratlam cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 189%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $528 in Ratlam. 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 Ratlam, 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 Ratlam?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $7.00 in Ratlam. 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 Ratlam?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $352 in Ratlam. 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 Ratlam?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ratlam, where all-in costs run around $352, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Ratlam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Ratlam more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ratlam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Ratlam?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ratlam. 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.