Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shillong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shillong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $443 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $684 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $924 in Shillong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 133% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$1.43 ₹138

330.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$10.30 ₹992

216.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.71 ₹454

55.84%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$1.22 ₹118

40.98%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$0.36 ₹34.74

191.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.14 ₹13.19

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$1.43 ₹138

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.28 ₹316

-3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$0.61 ₹58.7

72.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$0.36 ₹35.09

261.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$0.52 ₹50.1

169.23%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$0.82 ₹79.2

163.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.43 ₹427

-0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.31 ₹319

77.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$1.93 ₹186

18.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$0.75 ₹71.8

48.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$0.97 ₹93.5

57.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$0.55 ₹53.3

145.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$0.29 ₹27.52

289.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$0.36 ₹34.64

213.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$0.37 ₹35.51

129.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.18 ₹17.51

405.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$4.13 ₹398

-43.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$4.75 ₹457

160.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.49 ₹143

-19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$2.78 ₹267

-10.43%

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

$4.36 ₹419

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.30 ₹29.21

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$8.48 ₹816

378.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$0.80 ₹77.1

77.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.43 ₹138

435.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.19 ₹115

-16.81%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

31.61%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

50.10%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$40.08 ₹3,859

101.62%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$3.44 ₹331

189.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$5.68 ₹547

325.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$4.53 ₹436

453.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.89 ₹567

225.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.87 ₹276

38.68%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$32.21 ₹3,101

847.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,919 ₹184.8K

215.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$25.14 ₹2,420

131.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$35.50 ₹3,418

-9.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$46.95 ₹4,520

114.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$42.64 ₹4,105

152.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$253 ₹24.4K

88.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$156 ₹15.0K

140.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$464 ₹44.7K

81.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$318 ₹30.6K

129.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$441 ₹42.5K

39.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.38

81.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shillong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $253 in Shillong. 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 $10.00 in Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $93.0 – making Shillong 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 Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 133%, 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 $664 in Shillong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shillong, 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 $10.00 in Shillong. 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 $443 in Shillong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shillong, where all-in costs run around $443, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Shillong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Shillong. 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.