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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $307 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $509 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $711 in Shimla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 447% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Shimla is 78% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.55 ₹149

417.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$5.28 ₹506

806.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.11 ₹298

218.01%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.88 ₹84.7

255.68%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.38 ₹36.73

402.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.10 ₹9.30

1410.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.56 ₹150

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.14 ₹205

168.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.63 ₹60.4

128.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.37 ₹35.50

572.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.59 ₹56.4

200.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$0.84 ₹80.6

252.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.13 ₹396

143.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.22 ₹309

214.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.78 ₹171

132.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.74 ₹71.5

117.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.68 ₹65.0

230.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.45 ₹43.04

400.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.30 ₹28.86

580.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.33 ₹32.03

366.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.20 ₹19.14

485.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.27 ₹25.68

385.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.38 ₹325

15.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.29 ₹795

69.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.53 ₹147

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.09 ₹201

37.32%

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

$3.79 ₹364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.22 ₹21.11

454.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$7.98 ₹766

908.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.03 ₹98.6

27.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.30 ₹28.67

630.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.02 ₹97.4

753.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.04 ₹99.9

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$8,478 ₹813.4K

228.33%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$17.9K ₹1.7M

99.78%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$18.06 ₹1,733

881.73%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$3.05 ₹292

355.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$6.63 ₹636

348.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$13.95 ₹1,339

221.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$10.41 ₹999

64.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.21 ₹308

107.17%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$40.67 ₹3,902

1898.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,112 ₹202.6K

334.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$25.35 ₹2,432

253.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$21.99 ₹2,110

168.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$38.43 ₹3,687

259.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$26.27 ₹2,520

288.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$85.7 ₹8,221

1139.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$52.2 ₹5,007

1170.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$202 ₹19.3K

836.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$170 ₹16.3K

505.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$980 ₹94.0K

326.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$496 ₹47.6K

237.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$622 ₹59.7K

8.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.25

32.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shimla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $85.7 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 9% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $5.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $97.0 – 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 447%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $461 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $5.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $307 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 $307, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.