Cost of Living Comparison Between Blacktown and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Blacktown and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,174 in Blacktown versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,171 in Blacktown versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Blacktown versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Blacktown is roughly 117% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Blacktown is 63% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 A$13.51

$5.91 COP 18.6K

61.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.5 A$127

$32.96 COP 103.8K

171.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 A$9.90

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-6.19%

Cappuccino

$2.85 A$4.04

$1.65 COP 5,207

72.73%

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

$1.77 A$2.51

$1.10 COP 3,468

60.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 A$2.29

$0.78 COP 2,458

106.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.44 A$9.13

$1.72 COP 5,412

274.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 A$10.36

$3.18 COP 10.0K

129.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 A$1.33

$1.10 COP 3,474

-15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 A$1.41

$1.26 COP 3,962

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 A$1.26

$1.38 COP 4,349

-35.51%

Eggs

$2.66 A$3.78

$2.18 COP 6,858

22.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 A$14.10

$4.49 COP 14.1K

121.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 A$13.00

$5.79 COP 18.2K

58.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.52 A$20.60

$8.97 COP 28.2K

61.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.65

$2.32 COP 7,308

40.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 A$4.16

$1.06 COP 3,352

176.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.39

$1.52 COP 4,774

103.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.82 A$5.42

$1.36 COP 4,270

180.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.34

$1.13 COP 3,552

108.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 A$1.87

$1.17 COP 3,689

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 A$2.47

$0.90 COP 2,838

93.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 A$0.46

$0.90 COP 2,823

-64.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.91 A$36.76

$2.23 COP 7,034

1061.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 A$19.72

$12.12 COP 38.2K

14.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.25 A$7.45

$1.19 COP 3,743

341.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 A$8.60

$2.48 COP 7,815

144.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 A$3.79

$0.85 COP 2,687

214.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$92.1

$41.62 COP 131.0K

55.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 A$5.51

$1.42 COP 4,459

173.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 A$2.47

$1.95 COP 6,141

-10.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.32 A$58.6

$7.89 COP 24.8K

423.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.60

$0.99 COP 3,118

14.14%

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

$21.5K A$30.6K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

22.37%

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

$16.6K A$23.5K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-38.10%

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

$226 A$320

$83.0 COP 261.4K

171.85%

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

$29.77 A$42.24

$9.70 COP 30.5K

206.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.33 A$64.3

$23.52 COP 74.1K

92.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.25 A$69.9

$25.26 COP 79.5K

94.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.60 A$22.14

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-18.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 A$18.65

$3.95 COP 12.4K

232.91%

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

$1,743 A$2,473

$316 COP 994.2K

451.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$19.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

125.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 A$99.3

$60.0 COP 188.9K

16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 A$79.0

$31.82 COP 100.2K

74.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 A$140

$102 COP 320.1K

-2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 A$162

$107 COP 338.3K

6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 A$1,819

$475 COP 1.5M

169.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 A$1,520

$374 COP 1.2M

186.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 A$2,888

$849 COP 2.7M

139.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 A$2,359

$719 COP 2.3M

131.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,890 A$9,777

$3,265 COP 10.3M

111.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,981 A$7,067

$1,441 COP 4.5M

245.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,888 A$2,679

$624 COP 2.0M

202.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

13.43

-53.16%

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

Last update for Blacktown: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Blacktown and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Blacktown pays 202% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $90.0 in Blacktown vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Blacktown vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 202% higher in Blacktown, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,282 in Blacktown versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 56% less than in Blacktown. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,743 in Blacktown versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,174 in Blacktown, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Blacktown. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Blacktown, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Blacktown and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Blacktown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.