😐A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $341 in Thoothukudi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $587 in Thoothukudi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $833 in Thoothukudi, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 194% more than Thoothukudi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Medellin and Thoothukudi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin25% lower, Thoothukudi74% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.6K
$0.96₹91.9
515.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 103.8K
$9.15₹872
260.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.4K
$4.60₹439
61.52%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,207
$1.41₹135
17.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,468
$0.46₹44.26
139.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,458
$0.15₹14.74
420.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,412
$1.78₹170
-3.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.0K
$2.95₹282
7.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,474
$0.64₹61.0
71.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 3,962
$0.43₹40.61
193.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,349
$0.64₹60.9
115.62%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,858
$0.76₹72.9
186.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.1K
$3.68₹351
22.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.2K
$3.03₹289
91.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.2K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,308
$2.26₹216
2.65%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,352
$0.72₹68.6
47.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,774
$1.09₹104
39.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,270
$0.54₹51.5
151.85%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,552
$0.49₹46.27
130.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,689
$0.58₹55.5
101.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,838
$0.68₹64.7
32.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,823
$0.35₹33.75
157.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,034
$4.67₹445
-52.25%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.2K
$8.05₹768
50.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,743
$1.28₹122
-7.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,815
$1.68₹160
47.62%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$3.31₹316
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,687
$0.60₹57.4
41.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 131.0K
$17.64₹1,683
135.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,459
$0.53₹50.8
167.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,141
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 24.8K
$1.13₹107
598.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,118
$1.24₹118
-20.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
$11.8K₹1.1M
48.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
$16.1K₹1.5M
66.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 261.4K
$27.58₹2,630
200.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.5K
$3.18₹303
205.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 74.1K
$6.88₹657
241.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 79.5K
$21.09₹2,012
19.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.1K
$2.11₹201
805.21%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.4K
$1.79₹171
120.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 994.2K
$46.75₹4,458
575.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 18.8M
$2,404₹229.3K
148.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 188.9K
$26.25₹2,503
128.57%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 100.2K
$19.96₹1,903
59.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 320.1K
$22.37₹2,133
354.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 338.3K
$25.27₹2,410
325.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$106₹10.1K
350.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$65.0₹6,195
475.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$415₹39.6K
104.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$236₹22.5K
204.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Thoothukudi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
$274₹26.1K
127.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
8.5
58.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Last update for Thoothukudi: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $106 in Thoothukudi. 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 128% 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 $9.00 in Thoothukudi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $101 – making Thoothukudi 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 Thoothukudi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thoothukudi cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 194%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $512 in Thoothukudi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Thoothukudi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Thoothukudi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $9.00 in Thoothukudi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Thoothukudi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $341 in Thoothukudi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Thoothukudi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thoothukudi, where all-in costs run around $341, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Thoothukudi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Thoothukudi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Thoothukudi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Thoothukudi. 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.