Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Solan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Solan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $398 in Solan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $641 in Solan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $884 in Solan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 155% more than Solan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Solan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Solan 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$1.36 ₹130

337.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$17.63 ₹1,681

89.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$4.17 ₹397

73.38%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.08 ₹199

-21.63%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.36 ₹34.62

202.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.11 ₹10.73

563.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.35 ₹224

-25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.55 ₹338

-9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$0.46 ₹43.65

128.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.57 ₹54.8

126.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$0.49 ₹46.62

169.39%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$0.76 ₹72.7

198.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$3.81 ₹363

14.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$2.51 ₹239

134.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$1.89 ₹180

19.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$0.75 ₹71.7

42.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$0.57 ₹54.0

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$0.48 ₹45.63

195.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$0.37 ₹34.88

216.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$0.48 ₹45.79

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.30 ₹28.31

196.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.34 ₹32.34

164.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$3.12 ₹297

-27.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$6.93 ₹660

59.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.07 ₹197

-44.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$4.23 ₹403

-43.74%

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

$5.48 ₹523

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.30 ₹28.74

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$8.82 ₹841

375.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.60 ₹57.4

135.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$1.44 ₹137

438.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.08 ₹103

-6.48%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

28.54%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$21.0K ₹2.0M

26.33%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$51.3 ₹4,889

63.18%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$2.94 ₹280

221.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$8.18 ₹780

194.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$15.68 ₹1,495

61.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$7.14 ₹681

168.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$2.30 ₹219

78.26%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$93.2 ₹8,882

234.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$1,729 ₹164.9K

246.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$28.20 ₹2,689

105.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$26.31 ₹2,508

23.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$45.89 ₹4,375

117.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$31.11 ₹2,966

248.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$125 ₹11.9K

286.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$77.7 ₹7,405

388.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$271 ₹25.8K

209.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$184 ₹17.5K

293.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$1,068 ₹101.8K

165.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$482 ₹45.9K

153.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.81

36.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Solan: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $125 in Solan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Solan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $98.0 – making Solan 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 Solan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 155%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $597 in Solan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Solan, 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 $18.00 in Solan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $398 in Solan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Solan, where all-in costs run around $398, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Solan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Solan – 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 Solan. 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.