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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $304 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $512 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Varanasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 240% more than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Varanasi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.28 ₹216

159.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$8.82 ₹837

271.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.58 ₹340

101.12%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.55 ₹148

9.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.33 ₹31.34

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.11 ₹10.58

554.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.72 ₹163

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.27 ₹216

36.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.64 ₹60.6

65.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.37 ₹34.68

237.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.53 ₹50.3

162.26%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$0.95 ₹89.9

137.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.61 ₹343

19.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.57 ₹244

127.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.50 ₹143

49.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.66 ₹62.2

63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.87 ₹82.3

75.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.38 ₹36.12

260.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.27 ₹25.61

318.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.27 ₹25.73

314.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.35 ₹33.19

142.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.31 ₹29.54

193.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.92 ₹277

-20.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.66 ₹537

96.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.72 ₹163

-30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.62 ₹249

-9.54%

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

$4.67 ₹443

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.56 ₹53.6

41.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$10.57 ₹1,004

289.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.20 ₹18.97

620.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.12 ₹11.05

1491.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.19 ₹113

573.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.16 ₹110

-18.97%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$14.0K ₹1.3M

27.94%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.6K ₹2.0M

30.36%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$13.87 ₹1,317

505.34%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.71 ₹352

158.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$5.50 ₹523

339.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$12.43 ₹1,180

108.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.83 ₹554

226.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.00 ₹285

30.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$56.8 ₹5,392

439.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$933 ₹88.6K

534.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$22.89 ₹2,174

152.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.11 ₹2,289

31.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$40.07 ₹3,804

149.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$24.97 ₹2,371

329.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$130 ₹12.3K

274.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$53.0 ₹5,033

594.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$244 ₹23.2K

238.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$154 ₹14.6K

365.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$576 ₹54.7K

407.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$337 ₹31.9K

318.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$589 ₹56.0K

-7.44%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $130 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 8% 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 $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 240%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $456 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $304 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 $304, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.