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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $405 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $646 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $888 in Vijayawada, rent included.

Medellin costs about 315% more than Vijayawada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Vijayawada is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.54 ₹148

420.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$8.65 ₹829

453.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.42 ₹424

123.76%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.70 ₹355

-15.41%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.41 ₹39.13

365.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.12 ₹11.84

1158.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.93 ₹185

61.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.26 ₹217

154.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.75 ₹71.6

92.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.53 ₹50.9

369.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.61 ₹58.1

190.16%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$0.77 ₹73.8

284.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.30 ₹604

59.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.56 ₹246

295.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.85 ₹178

123.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.68 ₹65.6

136.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.80 ₹77.2

181.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.43 ₹41.36

423.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.40 ₹38.83

410.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.44 ₹42.61

250.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.65 ₹62.2

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.28 ₹26.57

367.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.95 ₹475

-21.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.35 ₹705

90.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.84 ₹177

-5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.13 ₹300

-8.31%

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

$3.30 ₹317

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.31 ₹30.19

293.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$6.67 ₹640

1106.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.55 ₹149

-15.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.42 ₹40.11

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.10 ₹202

314.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.07 ₹103

28.04%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

78.53%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$20.4K ₹2.0M

75.35%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$32.43 ₹3,112

446.72%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$3.26 ₹312

325.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$7.68 ₹737

286.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$16.06 ₹1,540

179.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$10.90 ₹1,045

57.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.06 ₹294

117.32%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$68.9 ₹6,608

1080.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,993 ₹191.2K

360.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$18.03 ₹1,730

396.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$18.47 ₹1,772

219.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$37.91 ₹3,637

264.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$35.75 ₹3,430

185.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$128 ₹12.3K

729.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$76.4 ₹7,331

767.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$286 ₹27.4K

561.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$198 ₹19.0K

418.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$690 ₹66.2K

506.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$400 ₹38.4K

318.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$296 ₹28.4K

128.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.2

7.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vijayawada: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $128 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 129% 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 $9.00 in Vijayawada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $107 – 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 315%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $608 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $9.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $405 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 $405, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.