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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $380 in Varkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $612 in Varkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $845 in Varkala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 171% more than Varkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Varkala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Varkala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$2.37 ₹222

149.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$10.56 ₹991

214.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$3.65 ₹342

98.63%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.56 ₹147

9.62%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.41 ₹38.09

165.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.15 ₹13.82

413.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.70 ₹160

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.15 ₹296

0.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.71 ₹66.5

49.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.49 ₹45.60

165.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.71 ₹66.6

94.37%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$0.89 ₹83.5

148.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$4.91 ₹461

-7.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$3.02 ₹283

92.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.06 ₹194

11.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$0.69 ₹65.1

53.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.00 ₹93.5

51.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$0.50 ₹46.48

172.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.38 ₹35.73

205.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.45 ₹42.68

160.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.49 ₹46.19

69.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.31 ₹29.52

174.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$4.02 ₹377

-41.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$7.21 ₹677

53.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.78 ₹167

-35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.79 ₹261

-11.47%

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

$5.58 ₹523

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.30 ₹28.34

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$8.64 ₹810

384.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.78 ₹73.5

84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.27 ₹25.41

603.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$1.44 ₹135

434.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.17 ₹110

-11.97%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

27.63%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

22.10%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$38.30 ₹3,595

112.58%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$3.40 ₹320

177.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$7.42 ₹696

220.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$16.06 ₹1,507

61.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$6.95 ₹652

178.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$2.99 ₹281

35.45%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$52.0 ₹4,876

501.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$1,554 ₹145.9K

290.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$24.28 ₹2,279

142.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$25.62 ₹2,404

28.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$42.26 ₹3,966

137.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$30.19 ₹2,834

252.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$126 ₹11.8K

289.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$74.7 ₹7,013

396.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$279 ₹26.2K

199.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$177 ₹16.6K

304.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,073 ₹100.7K

175.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$602 ₹56.5K

131.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Varkala: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 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 in Medellin versus $11 in Varkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 171%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $569 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 $1,030 in Medellin and $380 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 $380, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.