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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $455 in Thimphu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $757 in Thimphu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,059 in Thimphu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 123% more than Thimphu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Thimphu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Thimphu 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.93 BTN 248

104.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$17.63 BTN 1,488

86.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.47 BTN 293

104.32%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.48 BTN 125

15.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.48 BTN 40.91

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.17 BTN 14.15

358.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.98 BTN 252

-43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.30 BTN 194

33.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.87 BTN 73.1

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.95 BTN 79.8

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.74 BTN 62.5

86.49%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.00 BTN 169

9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.24 BTN 273

35.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.77 BTN 319

49.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$4.25 BTN 359

109.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.54 BTN 215

-7.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.52 BTN 128

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.86 BTN 157

-19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.73 BTN 61.7

89.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.54 BTN 45.20

112.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.62 BTN 52.0

87.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.46 BTN 38.43

93.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.34 BTN 28.88

147.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.76 BTN 317

-39.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$3.19 BTN 270

233.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.64 BTN 53.8

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.04 BTN 87.4

137.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.71 BTN 144

-49.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$4.10 BTN 346

909.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.85 BTN 71.6

72.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.23 BTN 188

-12.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$0.19 BTN 15.82

3973.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.97 BTN 82.2

-2.06%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$23.29 BTN 1,966

253.16%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$38.02 BTN 3,209

-75.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$27.34 BTN 2,308

-11.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$48.52 BTN 4,096

-46.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$7.60 BTN 642

150.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.43 BTN 290

14.58%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$242 BTN 20.4K

28.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$681 BTN 57.4K

776.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$9.13 BTN 771

542.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$11.81 BTN 997

173.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$31.80 BTN 2,685

222.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$31.61 BTN 2,668

243.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$118 BTN 9,925

304.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$63.5 BTN 5,363

496.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$203 BTN 17.1K

313.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$139 BTN 11.7K

421.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$6,698 BTN 565.4K

-58.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$390 BTN 33.0K

210.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$349 BTN 29.4K

46.80%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $118 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 47% 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: $188 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 123%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $682 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $455 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 $455, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.