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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $449 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $696 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $944 in Shillong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 126% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.39 ₹133

330.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$10.66 ₹1,016

208.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.56 ₹434

55.48%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.18 ₹112

44.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.36 ₹34.42

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.12 ₹11.37

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.43 ₹136

17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.29 ₹313

-6.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.65 ₹61.9

67.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.37 ₹34.80

240.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.52 ₹49.58

165.38%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$0.85 ₹81.2

157.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.41 ₹420

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.32 ₹316

69.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.85 ₹176

26.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.75 ₹71.9

41.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.92 ₹87.6

63.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.60 ₹57.3

130.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.31 ₹29.61

270.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.36 ₹34.14

222.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.37 ₹35.09

140.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.17 ₹15.80

394.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.08 ₹389

-44.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$4.63 ₹441

129.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.53 ₹146

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.81 ₹267

-12.10%

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

$4.21 ₹401

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.30 ₹28.77

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$8.88 ₹846

366.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.76 ₹72.8

93.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.48 ₹141

422.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.15 ₹110

-17.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

29.98%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

47.24%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$39.75 ₹3,786

106.92%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.31 ₹315

187.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$5.70 ₹543

325.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$4.59 ₹437

464.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$5.93 ₹565

220.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.98 ₹284

31.88%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$32.18 ₹3,065

861.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,908 ₹181.7K

212.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$25.38 ₹2,418

131.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$35.62 ₹3,393

-9.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$45.79 ₹4,361

124.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$42.26 ₹4,025

156.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$254 ₹24.2K

87.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$158 ₹15.0K

139.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$466 ₹44.4K

79.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$319 ₹30.4K

127.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$438 ₹41.7K

16.84%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $254 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 17% 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 $11.00 in Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $94.0 – 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 126%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $673 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 $11.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $449 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 $449, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.