Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rourkela Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rourkela

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $329 in Rourkela, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $555 in Rourkela, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $781 in Rourkela, rent included.

Medellin costs about 213% more than Rourkela, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Rourkela are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Rourkela 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.72 ₹166

258.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$8.77 ₹845

271.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.51 ₹435

62.75%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.51 ₹145

13.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.30 ₹29.17

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.16 ₹15.14

381.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.74 ₹168

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.46 ₹333

-8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.58 ₹55.7

81.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.39 ₹38.00

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.41 ₹39.84

241.46%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$0.91 ₹87.7

137.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.93 ₹283

49.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.78 ₹268

111.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.77 ₹170

28.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.75 ₹72.4

48.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.67 ₹64.7

128.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.33 ₹32.04

309.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.27 ₹26.24

318.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.27 ₹26.31

318.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.43 ₹41.84

97.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.36 ₹34.27

152.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.18 ₹404

-44.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.94 ₹766

55.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.10 ₹203

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.06 ₹295

-18.63%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$9.04 ₹872

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.15 ₹14.16

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.54 ₹824

375.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.15 ₹111

23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.38 ₹229

221.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.20 ₹116

-17.50%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$10.6K ₹1.0M

70.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.2K ₹1.7M

55.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$26.51 ₹2,556

204.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.28 ₹316

203.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$8.68 ₹837

178.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$15.95 ₹1,538

57.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.16 ₹690

167.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.54 ₹341

12.43%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$305 COP 993.4K

$83.3 ₹8,035

266.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,063 ₹198.9K

193.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$25.85 ₹2,493

124.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.54 ₹2,849

9.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$40.90 ₹3,944

146.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$32.26 ₹3,111

234.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$123 ₹11.8K

288.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$47.15 ₹4,547

697.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$274 ₹26.4K

208.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$182 ₹17.6K

300.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,079 ₹104.1K

197.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$453 ₹43.6K

203.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$823 ₹79.4K

-25.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.33

61.22%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rourkela: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $123 in Rourkela. 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 Rourkela, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Rourkela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $95.0 – making Rourkela 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 Rourkela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 213%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $493 in Rourkela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rourkela, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $9.00 in Rourkela. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $329 in Rourkela. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rourkela, where all-in costs run around $329, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Rourkela it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rourkela – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Rourkela. 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.