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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $286 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $482 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $678 in Varanasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 474% more than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Varanasi is 79% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$1.84 ₹176

336.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$8.11 ₹774

495.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$3.23 ₹308

191.64%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.60 ₹153

83.75%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.38 ₹35.97

389.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.12 ₹11.75

1116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.60 ₹153

100.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.09 ₹200

173.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.65 ₹62.3

121.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.29 ₹27.43

727.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.57 ₹54.5

198.25%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$0.81 ₹77.7

256.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.18 ₹304

216.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$2.26 ₹216

341.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.42 ₹136

180.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.66 ₹63.1

139.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.88 ₹84.5

144.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.34 ₹32.70

576.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.24 ₹22.92

733.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.26 ₹25.07

480.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.43 ₹41.06

179.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.26 ₹24.55

392.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.19 ₹305

20.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$5.66 ₹541

147.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.68 ₹161

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.44 ₹233

12.30%

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

$4.06 ₹388

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.55 ₹52.9

127.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$9.35 ₹893

733.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.20 ₹19.17

555.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.10 ₹9.64

2070.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$1.05 ₹99.9

689.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.09 ₹104

24.77%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

118.16%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$18.9K ₹1.8M

92.89%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$12.58 ₹1,201

1241.18%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$3.66 ₹350

270.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$6.75 ₹645

319.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$11.21 ₹1,071

307.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$5.37 ₹513

220.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$2.93 ₹280

126.96%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$39.67 ₹3,790

1925.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$1,003 ₹95.8K

816.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$21.50 ₹2,054

306.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$25.06 ₹2,394

136.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$37.26 ₹3,560

272.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$25.46 ₹2,433

300.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$114 ₹10.9K

840.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$47.40 ₹4,529

1277.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$197 ₹18.9K

875.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$141 ₹13.5K

642.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$577 ₹55.1K

614.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$345 ₹32.9K

392.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$575 ₹54.9K

13.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.53

28.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $114 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 14% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $8.00 in Varanasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $83.0 – 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 474%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $429 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $8.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $286 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 $286, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.