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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $396 in Solan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $637 in Solan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $878 in Solan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 157% 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

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$1.36 ₹131

336.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$17.32 ₹1,672

91.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$3.99 ₹385

78.45%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$2.18 ₹211

-21.56%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$0.36 ₹34.80

191.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$0.10 ₹9.85

620.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$2.35 ₹227

-26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.53 ₹341

-10.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$0.46 ₹44.08

130.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$0.59 ₹56.6

122.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$0.45 ₹43.83

195.56%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$0.76 ₹73.4

200.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$3.73 ₹360

18.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$2.61 ₹252

126.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$1.80 ₹174

30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$0.80 ₹77.3

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$0.60 ₹58.4

145.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$0.49 ₹47.01

181.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$0.34 ₹32.53

244.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$0.49 ₹47.25

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$0.30 ₹28.81

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$0.36 ₹35.18

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$3.21 ₹310

-27.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$7.41 ₹716

60.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$2.06 ₹199

-44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$4.34 ₹419

-44.24%

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

$5.35 ₹516

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$0.30 ₹29.10

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$8.69 ₹839

369.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$0.60 ₹58.0

135.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$1.47 ₹142

432.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$1.07 ₹103

-12.15%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$14.0K ₹1.4M

27.40%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$21.2K ₹2.0M

27.94%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$51.6 ₹4,980

61.42%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$2.83 ₹273

241.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$8.09 ₹781

199.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$15.89 ₹1,534

58.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$7.13 ₹689

171.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$2.28 ₹220

78.51%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$92.4 ₹8,921

231.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$1,735 ₹167.5K

244.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$28.02 ₹2,706

113.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$26.40 ₹2,549

23.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$46.30 ₹4,471

118.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$31.18 ₹3,011

246.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$126 ₹12.2K

277.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$76.5 ₹7,388

395.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$276 ₹26.6K

196.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$181 ₹17.5K

291.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$924 ₹89.2K

245.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$530 ₹51.1K

173.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Solan: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $126 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 $17.00 in Solan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $100 – 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 157%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $594 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 $17.00 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 $1,018 in Medellin and $396 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 $396, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.