Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vijayawada Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vijayawada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $439 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $715 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $991 in Vijayawada, rent included.

Medellin costs about 131% more than Vijayawada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Vijayawada are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Vijayawada 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.77 ₹168

236.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$11.40 ₹1,084

192.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.70 ₹447

53.83%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.87 ₹368

-57.88%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.49 ₹46.39

122.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.18 ₹17.52

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.31 ₹220

-24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.54 ₹241

27.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.86 ₹81.4

22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.56 ₹53.4

130.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.74 ₹70.2

78.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$0.85 ₹80.7

167.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.47 ₹615

-32.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.12 ₹297

88.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.18 ₹207

3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.80 ₹76.1

33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.95 ₹90.3

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.45 ₹42.77

215.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.41 ₹38.58

185.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.39 ₹36.88

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.73 ₹69.6

21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.37 ₹34.92

143.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.97 ₹378

-43.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.08 ₹578

81.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.56 ₹244

-55.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.18 ₹303

-25.16%

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

$4.24 ₹403

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₹26.45

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$7.22 ₹687

481.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.70 ₹161

-17.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.52 ₹49.58

265.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.37 ₹226

227.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.28 ₹122

-21.09%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

-0.78%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.1K ₹2.2M

14.93%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$27.62 ₹2,627

202.97%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.62 ₹344

161.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$8.12 ₹772

196.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$20.06 ₹1,908

26.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.87 ₹1,129

61.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.41 ₹324

20.23%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$75.9 ₹7,213

311.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,807 ₹171.9K

231.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$24.37 ₹2,317

138.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.20 ₹2,492

24.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$41.19 ₹3,918

141.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$42.90 ₹4,080

153.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$138 ₹13.1K

250.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$85.8 ₹8,155

342.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$319 ₹30.3K

162.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$218 ₹20.7K

232.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$680 ₹64.7K

317.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$387 ₹36.8K

215.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$302 ₹28.7K

79.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.8

24.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Vijayawada: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $138 in Vijayawada. 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 79% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Vijayawada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $118 – making Vijayawada 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 Vijayawada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 131%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $659 in Vijayawada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vijayawada, 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 Vijayawada. 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 $439 in Vijayawada. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vijayawada, where all-in costs run around $439, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Vijayawada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vijayawada – 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 Vijayawada. 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.