Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thiruvananthapuram Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thiruvananthapuram

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $382 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $604 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $827 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Thiruvananthapuram are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Thiruvananthapuram 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$2.27 ₹218

163.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$13.73 ₹1,315

139.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$4.31 ₹413

64.50%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$1.80 ₹172

-5.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.33 ₹32.00

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.23 ₹22.04

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$1.71 ₹164

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.47 ₹332

-11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.60 ₹57.2

81.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.54 ₹51.6

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$0.63 ₹60.7

119.05%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$0.99 ₹95.1

121.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.93 ₹568

-25.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$2.40 ₹230

134.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.42 ₹231

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$0.71 ₹68.3

49.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.27 ₹122

18.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.58 ₹55.6

137.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.52 ₹49.75

121.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.61 ₹58.4

90.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.51 ₹48.81

74.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.30 ₹29.08

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$3.59 ₹344

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.70 ₹641

58.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.48 ₹142

-18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$2.81 ₹269

-12.10%

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

$4.82 ₹462

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.17 ₹15.89

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$6.36 ₹609

550.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.96 ₹91.5

53.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$1.79 ₹171

332.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.24 ₹119

-23.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$18.9K ₹1.8M

-4.17%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$21.5K ₹2.1M

23.31%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$28.02 ₹2,684

193.54%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$3.39 ₹324

180.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$7.98 ₹764

203.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$16.57 ₹1,587

56.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$11.88 ₹1,137

59.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.35 ₹225

67.23%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$30.59 ₹2,929

911.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$1,959 ₹187.6K

204.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$18.05 ₹1,729

224.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$15.97 ₹1,530

102.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$33.82 ₹3,239

203.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$22.06 ₹2,113

391.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$144 ₹13.8K

231.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$89.9 ₹8,609

321.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$281 ₹26.9K

198.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$173 ₹16.6K

317.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$678 ₹64.9K

311.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$428 ₹41.0K

183.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$241 ₹23.1K

112.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $144 in Thiruvananthapuram. 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 112% 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 $14.00 in Thiruvananthapuram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $107 – making Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 165%, 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 $573 in Thiruvananthapuram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thiruvananthapuram, 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 $14.00 in Thiruvananthapuram. 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 $382 in Thiruvananthapuram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Thiruvananthapuram, where all-in costs run around $382, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Thiruvananthapuram it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thiruvananthapuram – 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 Thiruvananthapuram. 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.