😐A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $300 in Rourkela, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $525 in Rourkela, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $749 in Rourkela, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 447% more than Rourkela, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Rourkela is 78% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$1.61₹154
399.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$10.46₹1,000
361.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$4.16₹398
126.44%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$1.38₹132
113.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$0.25₹23.80
644.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.14₹13.24
942.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.54₹148
108.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$3.07₹294
85.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$0.48₹45.85
200.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$0.36₹34.01
566.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$0.37₹35.35
359.46%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$0.86₹81.7
236.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$2.59₹247
288.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$2.65₹253
276.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$1.54₹147
158.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$0.64₹61.4
146.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$0.62₹58.9
246.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$0.28₹26.74
721.43%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$0.23₹21.88
769.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$0.22₹20.96
586.36%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$0.50₹47.72
140.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.30₹28.47
326.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$5.01₹479
-23.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$8.00₹764
75.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$1.99₹190
-14.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$2.53₹242
8.30%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$7.11₹679
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.18₹17.40
594.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
$7.11₹679
995.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$1.06₹101
23.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.20₹19.06
985.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$2.15₹206
285.58%
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
$9,432₹901.1K
191.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$15.9K₹1.5M
129.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$23.70₹2,264
611.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$3.21₹307
322.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$7.08₹676
300.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$13.93₹1,331
228.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$6.40₹612
169.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$3.08₹295
115.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$77.0₹7,353
943.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$2,284₹218.3K
302.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$24.07₹2,300
262.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$23.93₹2,286
148.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$36.87₹3,522
276.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$32.25₹3,081
216.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$120₹11.5K
790.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$42.60₹4,070
1432.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$269₹25.7K
614.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$171₹16.4K
511.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$974₹93.1K
323.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$511₹48.8K
232.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Rourkela
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$826₹78.9K
-20.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
9.17
19.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Rourkela: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $120 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 26% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $10.00 in Rourkela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $87.0 – 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
Is Rourkela cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 447%, 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 $450 in Rourkela. 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 Rourkela, 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 Rourkela?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $10.00 in Rourkela. 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 Rourkela?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $300 in Rourkela. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Rourkela?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rourkela, where all-in costs run around $300, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Rourkela it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Rourkela more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Rourkela?
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 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.