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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $455 per month in Thimphu vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $757 per month in Thimphu vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,059 per month in Thimphu vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Thimphu is about 55% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thimphu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Thimphu 66% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 BTN 248

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-51.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.63 BTN 1,488

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-46.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 BTN 293

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-51.06%

Cappuccino

$1.48 BTN 125

$1.71 COP 6,115

-13.45%

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

$0.48 BTN 40.91

$1.10 COP 3,924

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 14.15

$0.78 COP 2,781

-78.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BTN 252

$1.68 COP 5,997

77.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 BTN 194

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-25.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 BTN 73.1

$1.09 COP 3,906

-20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BTN 79.8

$1.26 COP 4,508

-24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 BTN 62.5

$1.38 COP 4,922

-46.38%

Eggs

$2.00 BTN 169

$2.19 COP 7,827

-8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.24 BTN 273

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-26.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 BTN 319

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-33.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 BTN 359

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-52.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 BTN 215

$2.34 COP 8,349

8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 BTN 128

$1.06 COP 3,777

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BTN 157

$1.50 COP 5,374

24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 BTN 61.7

$1.38 COP 4,924

-47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 BTN 45.20

$1.15 COP 4,111

-53.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 BTN 52.0

$1.16 COP 4,155

-46.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 38.43

$0.89 COP 3,182

-48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 28.88

$0.84 COP 2,997

-59.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BTN 317

$2.28 COP 8,145

64.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.19 BTN 270

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-70.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BTN 53.8

$1.20 COP 4,284

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BTN 87.4

$2.47 COP 8,824

-57.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 BTN 144

$0.86 COP 3,056

98.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.10 BTN 346

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-90.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 BTN 71.6

$1.47 COP 5,264

-42.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 BTN 188

$1.96 COP 7,009

13.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 BTN 15.82

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-97.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 BTN 82.2

$0.95 COP 3,409

2.11%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$23.29 BTN 1,966

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-71.68%

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

$38.02 BTN 3,209

$9.50 COP 33.9K

300.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.34 BTN 2,308

$24.23 COP 86.5K

12.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.52 BTN 4,096

$25.89 COP 92.4K

87.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.60 BTN 642

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-60.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 BTN 290

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-12.72%

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

$242 BTN 20.4K

$309 COP 1.1M

-21.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$681 BTN 57.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-88.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.13 BTN 771

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-84.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.81 BTN 997

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-63.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.80 BTN 2,685

$103 COP 366.4K

-69.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.61 BTN 2,668

$108 COP 387.2K

-70.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 BTN 9,925

$476 COP 1.7M

-75.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.5 BTN 5,363

$379 COP 1.4M

-83.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 BTN 17.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

-75.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 BTN 11.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

-80.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,698 BTN 565.4K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

140.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 BTN 33.0K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-67.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 BTN 29.4K

$512 COP 1.8M

-31.88%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Thimphu versus $476 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 47% 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 $188 – 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 123%, 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 $682 per month in Thimphu and $1,519 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 $455 in Thimphu and $1,013 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 $455, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.