😐A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $376 in Rupnagar, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $594 in Rupnagar, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $813 in Rupnagar, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 167% more than Rupnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Medellin and Rupnagar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin25% lower, Rupnagar72% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.6K
$3.45₹329
71.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 103.8K
$9.81₹935
235.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.4K
$2.99₹285
148.49%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,207
$1.31₹125
25.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,468
$0.34₹32.39
223.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,458
$0.17₹16.15
358.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,412
$1.37₹131
25.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.0K
$2.28₹218
39.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,474
$0.63₹60.5
74.60%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 3,962
$0.45₹42.48
180.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,349
$0.61₹57.9
126.23%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,858
$0.93₹89.0
134.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.1K
$5.68₹542
-20.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.2K
$2.45₹234
136.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.2K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,308
$1.41₹134
64.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,352
$0.69₹65.9
53.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,774
$0.56₹53.2
171.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,270
$0.64₹61.0
112.50%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,552
$0.39₹37.28
189.74%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,689
$0.39₹37.53
200.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,838
$0.71₹67.6
26.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,823
$0.34₹31.98
164.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,034
$4.50₹429
-50.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.2K
$5.06₹483
139.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,743
$1.14₹109
4.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,815
$2.08₹199
19.23%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$4.78₹456
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,687
$0.30₹28.95
183.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 131.0K
$8.48₹809
390.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,459
$1.19₹114
19.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,141
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 24.8K
$2.28₹218
246.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,118
$1.17₹112
-15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
$8,085₹771.1K
117.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
$17.3K₹1.6M
55.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 261.4K
$53.3₹5,084
55.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.5K
$2.97₹284
226.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 74.1K
$5.94₹566
295.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 79.5K
$9.87₹941
155.93%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.1K
$7.05₹672
170.92%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.4K
$2.90₹276
36.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 994.2K
$89.7₹8,553
252.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 18.8M
$1,670₹159.2K
257.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 188.9K
$26.01₹2,481
130.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 100.2K
$26.70₹2,546
19.18%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 320.1K
$35.04₹3,342
190.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 338.3K
$35.43₹3,379
203.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$124₹11.8K
283.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$75.0₹7,150
398.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$279₹26.6K
203.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$177₹16.9K
305.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.3M
$1,016₹96.9K
221.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.5M
$449₹42.8K
220.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Rupnagar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
8.95
50.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Last update for Rupnagar: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $124 in Rupnagar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $10.00 in Rupnagar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $92.0 – making Rupnagar 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 Rupnagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rupnagar cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 167%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $564 in Rupnagar. 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 Rupnagar, 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 Rupnagar?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $10.00 in Rupnagar. 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 Rupnagar?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $376 in Rupnagar. 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 Rupnagar?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rupnagar, where all-in costs run around $376, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Rupnagar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Rupnagar more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rupnagar – 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 Rupnagar. 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.