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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $390 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $613 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $836 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

Medellin costs about 331% more than Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Thiruvananthapuram is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.68 ₹257

199.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$10.40 ₹998

360.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.48 ₹334

184.20%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.84 ₹177

70.11%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.43 ₹41.27

344.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.16 ₹15.43

843.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.12 ₹204

47.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.55 ₹244

125.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.52 ₹50.1

176.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.54 ₹52.3

361.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.61 ₹58.8

190.16%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$0.84 ₹80.3

252.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.34 ₹513

88.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.73 ₹262

270.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.31 ₹221

79.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.74 ₹71.0

117.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.21 ₹116

85.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.44 ₹41.93

411.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.44 ₹41.94

363.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.46 ₹43.79

234.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.55 ₹52.8

112.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.30 ₹29.00

336.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.35 ₹418

-10.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.10 ₹489

174.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.82 ₹175

-4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.08 ₹295

-6.82%

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

$4.94 ₹474

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.20 ₹19.18

510.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$2.85 ₹273

2723.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.72 ₹165

-23.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.27 ₹26.04

711.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.55 ₹244

241.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.09 ₹105

25.69%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

102.56%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$29.7K ₹2.8M

20.49%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$34.84 ₹3,342

408.90%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$3.34 ₹320

315.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$7.63 ₹732

289.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$13.92 ₹1,336

222.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$7.42 ₹712

130.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$2.14 ₹206

210.75%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$37.72 ₹3,618

2055.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,089 ₹200.5K

339.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$21.63 ₹2,076

313.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$17.83 ₹1,711

230.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$36.22 ₹3,475

281.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$26.81 ₹2,572

280.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$180 ₹17.3K

490.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$98.6 ₹9,456

572.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$365 ₹35.0K

417.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$210 ₹20.1K

390.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$862 ₹82.7K

385.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$453 ₹43.5K

269.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$245 ₹23.5K

176.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.31

6.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $180 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 177% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $10.00 in Thiruvananthapuram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $103 – 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 331%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $585 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $10.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $390 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 $390, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.