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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $332 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $532 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $732 in Shimla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 202% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Shimla are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Shimla 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.77 ₹169

233.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$5.84 ₹557

464.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.51 ₹335

111.68%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.00 ₹95.5

65.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.34 ₹32.46

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.16 ₹15.70

387.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.58 ₹151

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.35 ₹224

35.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.73 ₹70.0

50.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.45 ₹42.80

180.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.62 ₹59.1

122.58%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$0.92 ₹88.1

136.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.31 ₹411

4.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.59 ₹343

61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.93 ₹184

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.69 ₹65.8

53.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.79 ₹75.8

92.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.56 ₹53.2

142.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.38 ₹36.01

197.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.43 ₹41.13

172.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.24 ₹22.92

275.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.37 ₹34.95

143.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.46 ₹426

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.98 ₹665

73.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.78 ₹170

-33.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.25 ₹215

10.22%

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

$5.68 ₹542

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.24 ₹22.99

254.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$8.93 ₹852

366.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.83 ₹78.9

71.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.18 ₹113

568.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.18 ₹113

-16.10%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$15.1K ₹1.4M

16.81%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.1K ₹1.9M

33.64%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$19.55 ₹1,864

324.60%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$3.54 ₹338

174.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$7.68 ₹733

206.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$14.43 ₹1,376

75.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.10 ₹677

169.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.46 ₹330

14.16%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$45.25 ₹4,315

597.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,380 ₹227.0K

151.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$33.95 ₹3,238

76.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$28.04 ₹2,675

13.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$47.40 ₹4,521

114.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$29.42 ₹2,806

265.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$96.7 ₹9,225

391.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$58.7 ₹5,594

537.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$225 ₹21.4K

277.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$138 ₹13.2K

419.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$980 ₹93.4K

233.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$525 ₹50.1K

174.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$554 ₹52.8K

12.80%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shimla: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $96.7 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 13% 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 $6.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $103 – 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 202%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $498 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $332 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 $332, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.