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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $378 in Varkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $606 in Varkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $834 in Varkala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 169% more than Varkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Varkala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Varkala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$2.31 ₹220

157.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$10.58 ₹1,009

215.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$3.46 ₹330

108.96%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$1.57 ₹150

3.82%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.41 ₹38.81

165.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.16 ₹15.07

356.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$1.69 ₹161

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.02 ₹288

6.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$0.66 ₹62.7

59.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.45 ₹42.80

186.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$0.66 ₹62.9

100.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$0.90 ₹85.7

152.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$4.86 ₹463

-10.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$3.03 ₹289

94.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$1.97 ₹188

14.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$0.69 ₹65.9

55.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$0.95 ₹90.2

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$0.53 ₹50.9

167.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$0.38 ₹36.69

207.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$0.46 ₹43.99

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.49 ₹47.03

81.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.35 ₹32.99

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$3.94 ₹375

-42.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$7.38 ₹704

49.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.79 ₹170

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$2.78 ₹265

-14.39%

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

$5.58 ₹532

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.30 ₹28.94

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$8.83 ₹842

375.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.84 ₹80.1

67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.25 ₹23.79

660.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$1.43 ₹136

441.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.22 ₹116

-17.21%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

26.28%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$21.9K ₹2.1M

21.19%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$38.78 ₹3,697

115.78%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$3.55 ₹338

166.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$7.46 ₹711

223.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$16.09 ₹1,534

57.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$6.98 ₹666

174.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$2.97 ₹283

38.05%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$52.3 ₹4,989

496.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$1,561 ₹148.8K

283.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$24.20 ₹2,307

139.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$25.54 ₹2,435

27.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$42.00 ₹4,004

137.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$29.96 ₹2,856

262.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$122 ₹11.7K

294.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$77.7 ₹7,408

388.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$274 ₹26.1K

205.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$181 ₹17.3K

298.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$1,043 ₹99.4K

172.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$604 ₹57.6K

102.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Varkala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $122 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: $190 vs $105 – 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 169%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $566 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $378 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 $378, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.