Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varkala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varkala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $382 in Varkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $603 in Varkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $823 in Varkala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 167% more than Varkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Varkala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Varkala 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$2.40 ₹232

147.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$10.54 ₹1,018

214.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$3.62 ₹349

96.69%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$1.53 ₹148

11.76%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$0.41 ₹39.25

156.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.16 ₹15.85

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$1.79 ₹173

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.10 ₹299

2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$0.70 ₹67.4

51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$0.45 ₹43.29

191.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$0.68 ₹65.3

95.59%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$0.91 ₹87.6

150.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$5.06 ₹489

-12.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$2.92 ₹282

102.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$1.99 ₹192

17.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$0.74 ₹71.1

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$1.01 ₹97.7

45.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$0.54 ₹51.8

155.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$0.38 ₹36.80

207.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$0.43 ₹41.33

172.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$0.48 ₹46.38

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.32 ₹30.48

162.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$3.94 ₹380

-40.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$7.40 ₹714

61.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$1.76 ₹170

-34.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$2.92 ₹282

-17.12%

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

$5.55 ₹536

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

$0.30 ₹28.97

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

$8.69 ₹839

369.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$0.78 ₹75.1

80.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$0.27 ₹26.13

607.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$1.42 ₹137

451.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.21 ₹117

-22.31%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

30.21%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$21.7K ₹2.1M

24.95%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$39.35 ₹3,799

111.59%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$3.56 ₹344

171.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$7.12 ₹687

240.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$16.16 ₹1,560

56.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$6.84 ₹660

182.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$2.92 ₹282

39.38%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$50.6 ₹4,885

505.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$1,567 ₹151.3K

281.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$24.37 ₹2,353

146.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$24.84 ₹2,398

31.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$43.10 ₹4,161

134.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$30.83 ₹2,977

250.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$126 ₹12.1K

278.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$77.2 ₹7,457

390.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$273 ₹26.4K

199.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$182 ₹17.6K

288.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$1,062 ₹102.6K

200.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$612 ₹59.0K

136.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.67

54.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Varkala: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $126 in Varkala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Varkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $106 – making Varkala 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 Varkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 167%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $573 in Varkala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varkala, 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 $11.00 in Varkala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,018 in Medellin and $382 in Varkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varkala, where all-in costs run around $382, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Varkala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Varkala. 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.