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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $375 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $604 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $832 in Thiruvananthapuram, rent included.

Medellin costs about 175% more than Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Thiruvananthapuram are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Thiruvananthapuram 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.34 ₹226

163.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$13.93 ₹1,343

134.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.32 ₹417

69.91%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.77 ₹171

-2.82%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.33 ₹32.07

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.21 ₹20.18

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.70 ₹164

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.37 ₹325

-5.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.59 ₹57.0

77.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.54 ₹52.4

140.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.62 ₹59.8

125.81%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$0.92 ₹88.7

134.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.67 ₹547

-22.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.44 ₹235

140.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.47 ₹238

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.78 ₹74.7

42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.27 ₹122

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.64 ₹61.5

110.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.51 ₹49.28

121.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.59 ₹57.4

91.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.48 ₹46.28

77.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.30 ₹28.95

203.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.50 ₹338

-33.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.14 ₹495

140.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.46 ₹141

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.76 ₹266

-9.78%

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

$4.97 ₹480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.17 ₹16.49

394.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$6.43 ₹620

530.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.00 ₹96.8

42.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.70 ₹164

350.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.24 ₹120

-20.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.3K ₹1.8M

-1.36%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.5K ₹2.1M

23.92%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$28.39 ₹2,738

184.64%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.52 ₹340

182.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$7.57 ₹730

219.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$16.42 ₹1,583

52.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$11.57 ₹1,116

65.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.29 ₹221

73.80%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$29.93 ₹2,886

919.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,946 ₹187.7K

211.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.10 ₹1,745

221.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$16.14 ₹1,557

99.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$34.13 ₹3,291

195.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$22.06 ₹2,127

388.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$144 ₹13.8K

232.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$89.3 ₹8,607

321.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$282 ₹27.2K

199.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$176 ₹17.0K

315.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$684 ₹65.9K

370.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$418 ₹40.3K

228.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$238 ₹22.9K

159.33%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 159% 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: $193 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 175%, 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 $563 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $375 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 $375, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.