Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Thimphu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $457 per month in Thimphu vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $749 per month in Thimphu vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,041 per month in Thimphu vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Thimphu is about 56% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thimphu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Thimphu 66% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 BTN 250

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-51.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.68 BTN 1,492

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-45.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 BTN 290

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-53.27%

Cappuccino

$1.42 BTN 120

$1.72 COP 5,599

-17.44%

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

$0.49 BTN 41.27

$1.05 COP 3,420

-53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 BTN 12.46

$0.77 COP 2,515

-80.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 BTN 241

$1.69 COP 5,487

68.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 BTN 192

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-28.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 BTN 67.4

$1.05 COP 3,423

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BTN 80.3

$1.30 COP 4,236

-26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 BTN 57.8

$1.40 COP 4,544

-51.43%

Eggs

$2.05 BTN 173

$2.16 COP 7,046

-5.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 BTN 282

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-23.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 BTN 322

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-35.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 BTN 372

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-48.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 BTN 211

$2.28 COP 7,425

9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 BTN 123

$1.11 COP 3,603

31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 BTN 160

$1.53 COP 4,982

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 BTN 65.0

$1.35 COP 4,410

-42.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 BTN 42.01

$1.13 COP 3,674

-55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 BTN 48.64

$1.13 COP 3,692

-48.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 38.59

$0.85 COP 2,753

-45.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 28.92

$0.91 COP 2,975

-62.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 BTN 313

$2.34 COP 7,629

58.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.23 BTN 273

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-73.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 BTN 53.0

$1.20 COP 3,909

-47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BTN 91.0

$2.49 COP 8,104

-56.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BTN 150

$0.84 COP 2,727

111.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.07 BTN 343

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-89.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 BTN 74.5

$1.42 COP 4,623

-38.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 BTN 198

$1.92 COP 6,235

21.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.17 BTN 14.64

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-97.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 BTN 77.1

$0.99 COP 3,223

-8.08%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$23.57 BTN 1,989

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-70.83%

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

$38.26 BTN 3,229

$9.95 COP 32.4K

284.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 BTN 2,254

$24.18 COP 78.7K

10.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.96 BTN 4,133

$25.08 COP 81.6K

95.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 BTN 649

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-59.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 BTN 302

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-10.05%

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

$241 BTN 20.3K

$305 COP 993.4K

-21.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$660 BTN 55.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-89.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.14 BTN 772

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-84.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.54 BTN 974

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-64.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.39 BTN 2,734

$101 COP 327.9K

-67.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.64 BTN 2,671

$108 COP 350.8K

-70.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 BTN 9,634

$477 COP 1.6M

-76.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.9 BTN 5,224

$376 COP 1.2M

-83.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 BTN 16.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

-76.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 BTN 11.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-80.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,611 BTN 558.1K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

105.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$391 BTN 33.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-71.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 BTN 29.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

-42.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

13.43

-19.96%

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

Last update for Thimphu: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Thimphu versus $477 in Medellin. 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 75% 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 $18.00 in Thimphu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $124 vs $193 – making Thimphu 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

Thimphu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 126%, 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 $685 per month in Thimphu and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thimphu, 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 $18.00 in Thimphu and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $457 in Thimphu and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thimphu, where all-in costs run around $457, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Thimphu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thimphu – 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 Thimphu. 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.