Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shimla Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shimla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $337 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $542 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $746 in Shimla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 205% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$1.79 ₹169

235.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$5.87 ₹555

459.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$3.55 ₹336

109.01%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$0.98 ₹92.9

68.37%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.31 ₹29.71

245.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.17 ₹16.05

347.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.60 ₹151

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.29 ₹217

39.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.70 ₹65.8

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.41 ₹39.06

219.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.68 ₹64.5

97.06%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$0.85 ₹80.2

157.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$4.26 ₹403

3.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.52 ₹333

61.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.91 ₹181

22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$0.73 ₹69.5

52.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.77 ₹72.8

97.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.56 ₹52.7

144.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.38 ₹35.61

202.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.43 ₹41.13

174.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.24 ₹22.84

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.34 ₹32.00

152.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.67 ₹442

-51.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$6.89 ₹652

68.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.69 ₹160

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.31 ₹218

7.36%

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

$5.83 ₹551

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.24 ₹22.72

229.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$8.67 ₹820

370.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.85 ₹80.0

72.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$1.13 ₹107

587.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.19 ₹113

-15.13%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$15.2K ₹1.4M

16.41%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.3K ₹1.9M

30.13%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$19.45 ₹1,840

316.97%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$3.40 ₹322

177.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$7.63 ₹722

212.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$14.47 ₹1,369

79.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$6.84 ₹647

173.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.55 ₹336

15.21%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$46.09 ₹4,361

582.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$2,344 ₹221.8K

156.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$33.30 ₹3,151

79.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$28.48 ₹2,695

12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$46.22 ₹4,373

119.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$29.48 ₹2,789

256.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$95.9 ₹9,071

406.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$59.2 ₹5,597

517.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$220 ₹20.9K

274.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$139 ₹13.1K

426.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$990 ₹93.6K

202.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$529 ₹50.0K

148.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$566 ₹53.6K

-2.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.25

62.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Shimla: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $95.9 in Shimla. 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 3% higher in Shimla, 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 $6.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $101 – making Shimla 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 Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 205%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $506 in Shimla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shimla, 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 $6.00 in Shimla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $337 in Shimla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shimla, where all-in costs run around $337, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Shimla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shimla – 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 Shimla. 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.