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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $898 per month in Boroko vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,289 per month in Boroko vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,680 per month in Boroko vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Boroko is about 45% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Boroko sits 35% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 PGK 31.27

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-10.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.26 PGK 157

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-24.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 PGK 25.04

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-38.75%

Cappuccino

$2.45 PGK 10.65

$2.94 COP 9,040

-16.67%

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

$0.77 PGK 3.36

$1.86 COP 5,735

-58.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PGK 2.84

$1.46 COP 4,479

-55.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 PGK 12.03

$3.21 COP 9,882

-13.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 PGK 16.11

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-35.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 PGK 6.80

$1.44 COP 4,428

9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 PGK 5.12

$2.40 COP 7,389

-50.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PGK 5.38

$1.70 COP 5,228

-27.06%

Eggs

$3.68 PGK 15.96

$2.89 COP 8,896

27.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.21 PGK 22.59

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-48.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 PGK 22.68

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-47.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 PGK 28.10

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-54.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 PGK 17.48

$3.98 COP 12.3K

1.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 PGK 13.45

$1.58 COP 4,878

96.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 PGK 12.15

$2.15 COP 6,624

30.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 PGK 12.11

$2.30 COP 7,078

21.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 PGK 12.97

$2.00 COP 6,169

49.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 PGK 3.72

$1.51 COP 4,646

-43.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 PGK 4.86

$1.20 COP 3,701

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 PGK 2.00

$1.28 COP 3,946

-64.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 PGK 24.74

$3.84 COP 11.8K

48.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 PGK 21.85

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 PGK 4.77

$1.71 COP 5,256

-35.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 PGK 7.06

$2.74 COP 8,440

-40.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 PGK 2.05

$1.25 COP 3,834

-62.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.65 PGK 133

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-60.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 PGK 19.89

$1.31 COP 4,016

249.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 PGK 5.73

$2.17 COP 6,680

-39.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.29 PGK 48.99

$8.29 COP 25.5K

36.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 PGK 3.51

$1.36 COP 4,172

-40.44%

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

$21.0K PGK 91.2K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-23.53%

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

$17.9K PGK 77.6K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-51.08%

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

$64.0 PGK 278

$169 COP 519.2K

-62.07%

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

$23.80 PGK 103

$13.57 COP 41.8K

75.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.3 PGK 401

$28.32 COP 87.2K

225.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.35 PGK 188

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-5.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 PGK 63.0

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-15.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 PGK 28.68

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-0.60%

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

$337 PGK 1,462

$803 COP 2.5M

-58.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,276 PGK 9,876

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-75.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.26 PGK 144

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-61.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.70 PGK 59.4

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-76.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.48 PGK 197

$139 COP 427.5K

-67.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.86 PGK 117

$102 COP 314.0K

-73.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,436 PGK 14.9K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

220.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 PGK 974

$653 COP 2.0M

-65.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 PGK 14.4K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

72.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 PGK 968

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-78.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$365 PGK 1,582

$655 COP 2.0M

-44.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

0.55%

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

Last update for Boroko: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,436 in Boroko versus $1,071 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 80% 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 $36.00 in Boroko versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $300 – making Boroko 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

Medellin costs about 83% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,348 per month in Boroko and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boroko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $337 per month in Boroko and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Boroko, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Boroko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $898 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Boroko. 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.