Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thimphu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thimphu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $457 in Thimphu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $749 in Thimphu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,041 in Thimphu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 126% more than Thimphu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Thimphu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Thimphu 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.96 BTN 250

108.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$17.68 BTN 1,492

84.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.43 BTN 290

113.99%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.42 BTN 120

21.13%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.49 BTN 41.27

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.15 BTN 12.46

413.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.85 BTN 241

-40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.27 BTN 192

39.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.80 BTN 67.4

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.95 BTN 80.3

36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.68 BTN 57.8

105.88%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.05 BTN 173

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.34 BTN 282

31.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.82 BTN 322

53.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.41 BTN 372

95.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.50 BTN 211

-8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.46 BTN 123

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.89 BTN 160

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.77 BTN 65.0

75.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.50 BTN 42.01

126.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.58 BTN 48.64

94.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.46 BTN 38.59

84.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.34 BTN 28.92

167.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.71 BTN 313

-36.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.23 BTN 273

282.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.63 BTN 53.0

90.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.08 BTN 91.0

130.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.78 BTN 150

-52.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$4.07 BTN 343

896.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.88 BTN 74.5

61.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.34 BTN 198

-17.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$0.17 BTN 14.64

4405.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.91 BTN 77.1

8.79%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$23.57 BTN 1,989

242.85%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$38.26 BTN 3,229

-73.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$26.70 BTN 2,254

-9.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$48.96 BTN 4,133

-48.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.69 BTN 649

149.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.58 BTN 302

11.17%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$241 BTN 20.3K

26.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$660 BTN 55.7K

817.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$9.14 BTN 772

536.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$11.54 BTN 974

179.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$32.39 BTN 2,734

210.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$31.64 BTN 2,671

240.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$114 BTN 9,634

317.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$61.9 BTN 5,224

507.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$198 BTN 16.7K

326.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$139 BTN 11.7K

424.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$6,611 BTN 558.1K

-51.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$391 BTN 33.0K

250.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$352 BTN 29.7K

75.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.75

24.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $114 in Thimphu. 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 75% 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 $18.00 in Thimphu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $124 – making Thimphu 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 Thimphu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 126%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $685 in Thimphu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $457 in Thimphu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thimphu, where all-in costs run around $457, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Thimphu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thimphu – 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 Thimphu. 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.