Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varanasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varanasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $310 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $514 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $717 in Varanasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 227% more than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Varanasi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.31 ₹220

157.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$8.68 ₹825

283.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.47 ₹330

108.36%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.55 ₹147

5.16%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.33 ₹31.70

230.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.12 ₹11.84

508.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.76 ₹168

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.29 ₹217

41.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.69 ₹65.8

52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.39 ₹37.32

230.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.52 ₹49.63

153.85%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$0.90 ₹85.6

152.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.58 ₹340

21.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.59 ₹246

127.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.57 ₹149

43.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.66 ₹62.5

62.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.93 ₹88.4

63.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.38 ₹36.36

273.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.27 ₹25.42

333.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.25 ₹23.53

368.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.35 ₹33.01

154.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.29 ₹27.46

210.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.89 ₹275

-22.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.66 ₹538

95.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.67 ₹159

-31.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.67 ₹254

-10.86%

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

$4.52 ₹430

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.55 ₹52.5

52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.59 ₹1,007

296.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.22 ₹20.93

540.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.11 ₹10.23

1627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.13 ₹107

585.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.19 ₹113

-15.13%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

28.36%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.8K ₹2.0M

27.30%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$13.88 ₹1,320

502.88%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.65 ₹347

158.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$5.28 ₹502

356.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$12.64 ₹1,202

100.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.83 ₹555

228.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.84 ₹270

44.37%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$57.8 ₹5,493

440.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$926 ₹88.1K

547.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$23.02 ₹2,189

152.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$24.76 ₹2,355

31.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$40.46 ₹3,847

146.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$25.47 ₹2,423

326.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$125 ₹11.9K

284.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$52.7 ₹5,011

620.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$251 ₹23.8K

234.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$152 ₹14.5K

374.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$553 ₹52.6K

413.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$338 ₹32.2K

261.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$579 ₹55.1K

-6.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.72

54.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $125 in Varanasi. 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 7% higher in Varanasi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Varanasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $89.0 – making Varanasi 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 Varanasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 227%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $466 in Varanasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varanasi, 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 $9.00 in Varanasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $310 in Varanasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varanasi, where all-in costs run around $310, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Varanasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varanasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Varanasi. 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.