Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Boroko vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,539 per month in Boroko vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,963 per month in Boroko vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Boroko costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Boroko and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Boroko 17% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 PGK 35.01

$5.99 COP 21.4K

34.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.81 PGK 169

$32.86 COP 117.4K

18.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 PGK 25.89

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-16.22%

Cappuccino

$2.26 PGK 9.87

$1.71 COP 6,115

32.16%

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

$0.81 PGK 3.54

$1.10 COP 3,924

-26.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 PGK 3.63

$0.78 COP 2,781

6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 PGK 10.67

$1.68 COP 5,997

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 PGK 18.18

$3.07 COP 11.0K

35.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PGK 7.11

$1.09 COP 3,906

49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 PGK 5.67

$1.26 COP 4,508

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PGK 5.59

$1.38 COP 4,922

-7.25%

Eggs

$3.93 PGK 17.16

$2.19 COP 7,827

79.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 PGK 19.88

$4.40 COP 15.7K

3.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 PGK 26.64

$5.63 COP 20.1K

8.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 PGK 31.06

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 PGK 17.85

$2.34 COP 8,349

74.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 PGK 12.91

$1.06 COP 3,777

179.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 PGK 12.64

$1.50 COP 5,374

93.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 PGK 12.63

$1.38 COP 4,924

110.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 PGK 13.89

$1.15 COP 4,111

177.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PGK 4.01

$1.16 COP 4,155

-20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 PGK 5.30

$0.89 COP 3,182

37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.18

$0.84 COP 2,997

-40.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 PGK 26.50

$2.28 COP 8,145

166.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 PGK 22.34

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-51.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 PGK 5.11

$1.20 COP 4,284

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 PGK 7.13

$2.47 COP 8,824

-34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 PGK 2.15

$0.86 COP 3,056

-43.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PGK 138

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-23.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 PGK 20.87

$1.47 COP 5,264

225.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 PGK 6.58

$1.96 COP 7,009

-22.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.91 PGK 51.9

$7.74 COP 27.6K

53.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PGK 3.84

$0.95 COP 3,409

-7.37%

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

$22.5K PGK 98.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

23.91%

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

$24.5K PGK 107.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-7.39%

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

$67.8 PGK 296

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-17.62%

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

$46.77 PGK 204

$9.50 COP 33.9K

392.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$239 PGK 1,042

$24.23 COP 86.5K

885.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.41 PGK 202

$25.89 COP 92.4K

79.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 PGK 69.4

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-16.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 PGK 30.83

$3.93 COP 14.0K

79.90%

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

$363 PGK 1,584

$309 COP 1.1M

17.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,369 PGK 10.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-60.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.80 PGK 139

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-45.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.15 PGK 61.7

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-56.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.86 PGK 209

$103 COP 366.4K

-53.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.78 PGK 126

$108 COP 387.2K

-73.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,646 PGK 15.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

665.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 PGK 1,053

$379 COP 1.4M

-36.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,574 PGK 15.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

326.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 PGK 1,044

$724 COP 2.6M

-66.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$369 PGK 1,608

$512 COP 1.8M

-27.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-18.09%

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

Last update for Boroko: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,646 in Boroko 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 39% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Boroko versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Boroko vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boroko costs about 10% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,673 per month in Boroko 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $363 per month in Boroko and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Boroko, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Boroko at $1,115. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boroko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,115 in Boroko. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boroko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.