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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $314 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $517 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Varanasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 220% more than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Varanasi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Varanasi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.31 ₹221

155.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$8.96 ₹857

267.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$3.51 ₹336

111.68%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.50 ₹143

10.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.31 ₹29.51

254.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.13 ₹12.45

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.79 ₹171

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.32 ₹222

37.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.65 ₹61.8

69.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.37 ₹35.38

240.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.52 ₹50.2

165.38%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$0.95 ₹90.7

129.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$3.60 ₹344

24.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$2.54 ₹243

127.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.52 ₹145

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$0.66 ₹63.2

60.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.88 ₹83.8

72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.39 ₹36.85

248.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.29 ₹27.94

289.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.27 ₹25.91

333.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.35 ₹33.26

157.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.29 ₹27.47

210.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.90 ₹278

-23.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$5.84 ₹559

107.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.64 ₹157

-27.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.62 ₹251

-5.34%

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

$4.67 ₹447

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.59 ₹56.6

44.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$10.66 ₹1,019

290.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.20 ₹19.10

610.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.11 ₹10.70

1672.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$1.17 ₹112

574.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.16 ₹111

-14.66%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$14.1K ₹1.4M

24.63%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$21.3K ₹2.0M

26.06%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$13.81 ₹1,321

501.09%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$3.54 ₹338

174.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$5.59 ₹534

320.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$12.28 ₹1,174

105.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$5.85 ₹559

226.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$2.97 ₹284

33.00%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$57.5 ₹5,499

449.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$926 ₹88.6K

545.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$22.97 ₹2,197

161.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$24.51 ₹2,344

29.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$41.19 ₹3,939

146.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$24.96 ₹2,387

330.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$127 ₹12.2K

272.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$52.5 ₹5,022

612.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$252 ₹24.1K

237.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$158 ₹15.1K

356.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$558 ₹53.4K

484.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$331 ₹31.7K

334.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$572 ₹54.7K

9.15%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $127 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 9% 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 Varanasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $88.0 – 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 220%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $470 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $314 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 $314, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.