😐A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $352 in Ratlam, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $522 in Ratlam, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $691 in Ratlam, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 192% more than Ratlam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Medellin and Ratlam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin23% lower, Ratlam74% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.2K
$1.96₹184
202.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.17COP 118.7K
$6.80₹638
387.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.25COP 25.9K
$2.95₹277
145.76%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 6,137
$1.58₹148
8.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09COP 3,915
$0.36₹33.99
202.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77COP 2,743
$0.13₹12.42
492.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.75COP 6,254
$2.19₹206
-20.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 11.4K
$5.30₹497
-40.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,792
$0.62₹58.2
70.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.30COP 4,657
$0.48₹45.09
170.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,926
$0.72₹67.5
91.67%
Eggs
$2.21COP 7,908
$0.82₹77.0
169.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.52COP 16.2K
$4.90₹460
-7.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.80COP 20.7K
$2.31₹217
151.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 32.1K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.29COP 8,182
$2.36₹222
-2.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,791
$0.45₹42.39
135.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.51COP 5,411
$1.01₹94.8
49.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,869
$0.80₹74.9
70.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.16COP 4,146
$0.16₹14.95
625.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 4,174
$0.22₹20.51
431.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.83COP 2,960
$0.50₹46.76
66.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85COP 3,043
$0.34₹31.71
150.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.35COP 8,423
$3.57₹335
-34.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.09COP 39.7K
$5.19₹487
113.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15COP 4,133
$1.61₹151
-28.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47COP 8,853
$2.24₹210
10.27%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$5.64₹530
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,827
$0.28₹26.01
182.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.85COP 149.8K
$8.62₹809
385.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,140
$0.70₹65.9
105.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.90COP 6,793
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.70COP 27.6K
$1.49₹140
416.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.03COP 3,680
$1.18₹111
-12.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7KCOP 63.3M
$15.3K₹1.4M
15.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0KCOP 96.7M
$19.9K₹1.9M
35.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.4COP 291.4K
$28.76₹2,700
183.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.42COP 33.7K
$3.96₹371
137.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.77COP 85.1K
$5.89₹553
303.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.86COP 92.6K
$5.91₹555
337.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.34COP 69.2K
$6.90₹648
180.29%
Cinema Ticket
$4.05COP 14.5K
$3.42₹321
18.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$312COP 1.1M
$62.3₹5,849
401.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,067COP 21.7M
$1,092₹102.5K
455.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9COP 210.7K
$7.91₹743
644.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.82COP 117.5K
$9.39₹881
249.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100COP 359.6K
$17.64₹1,656
469.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106COP 380.3K
$29.04₹2,726
265.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$490COP 1.8M
$136₹12.7K
260.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$371COP 1.3M
$92.2₹8,655
301.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838COP 3.0M
$175₹16.4K
380.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$715COP 2.6M
$144₹13.5K
398.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,952COP 10.6M
$969₹91.0K
204.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,394COP 5.0M
$517₹48.5K
169.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ratlam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$532COP 1.9M
$401₹37.6K
32.65%
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: April 20, 2026
Last update for Ratlam: April 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $136 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 33% 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 $7 in Ratlam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $96 – 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 192%, 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 $1,544 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 $1,030 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 $1,030. 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.