Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Broken Hill and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,371 in Broken Hill, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Broken Hill, Australia
Medellin, Colombia
Broken Hill
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,371
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Broken Hill and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Broken Hill and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,371 in Broken Hill versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Broken Hill $2,371
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,506 in Broken Hill versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Broken Hill $3,506
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,641 in Broken Hill versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Broken Hill $4,641
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Broken Hill is roughly 45% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Broken Hill 74% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.76 A$23.94
$8.09 COP 26.1K
107.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.4 A$119
$47.05 COP 151.8K
77.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.11 A$13.01
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-4.11%
Cappuccino
$4.13 A$5.90
$3.01 COP 9,729
37.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 A$3.99
$1.80 COP 5,806
55.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 A$3.33
$1.41 COP 4,558
65.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.47 A$10.66
$3.18 COP 10.2K
134.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.00 A$10.00
$5.75 COP 18.6K
21.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 A$2.52
$1.51 COP 4,873
16.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.80 A$4.00
$2.38 COP 7,673
17.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.04 A$2.91
$1.77 COP 5,716
15.25%
Eggs
$5.54 A$7.91
$2.89 COP 9,327
91.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.62 A$13.74
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-5.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.18 A$14.54
$9.87 COP 31.9K
3.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.35 A$23.35
$13.99 COP 45.1K
16.87%
Apples (1kg)
$4.25 A$6.07
$3.97 COP 12.8K
7.05%
Banana (1kg)
$2.85 A$4.06
$1.55 COP 5,009
83.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.98 A$4.26
$2.18 COP 7,044
36.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.72 A$6.74
$2.18 COP 7,047
116.51%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 A$4.32
$1.96 COP 6,333
54.59%
Onion (1kg)
$2.34 A$3.34
$1.59 COP 5,129
47.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.23 A$3.19
$1.15 COP 3,696
93.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 A$2.22
$1.24 COP 4,012
25.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$48.29 A$69.0
$3.96 COP 12.8K
1119.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.24 A$21.76
$13.68 COP 44.2K
11.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.21 A$6.01
$1.66 COP 5,356
153.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.47 A$7.82
$2.26 COP 7,286
142.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.70 A$3.85
$1.17 COP 3,769
130.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.7 A$109
$77.4 COP 249.7K
-0.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.77 A$5.39
$1.27 COP 4,092
196.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 A$2.57
$2.05 COP 6,608
-12.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.58 A$63.7
$8.55 COP 27.6K
421.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 A$2.17
$1.35 COP 4,346
12.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K A$43.9K
$34.1K COP 109.9M
-9.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K A$35.0K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-29.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 A$293
$170 COP 547.5K
20.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.11 A$35.87
$13.55 COP 43.7K
85.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.2 A$81.6
$28.07 COP 90.6K
103.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.6 A$90.9
$43.70 COP 141.0K
45.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.15 A$21.63
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-11.87%
Cinema Ticket
$13.97 A$19.96
$6.91 COP 22.3K
102.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,372 A$3,388
$797 COP 2.6M
197.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.7K A$30.9K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
137.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.0 A$98.5
$84.7 COP 273.4K
-18.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.07 A$68.7
$58.0 COP 187.0K
-17.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 A$151
$135 COP 435.5K
-21.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 A$178
$97.9 COP 315.8K
27.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 A$2,277
$1,208 COP 3.9M
32.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,070 A$1,528
$642 COP 2.1M
66.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,252 A$3,216
$2,028 COP 6.5M
11.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,720 A$2,457
$1,012 COP 3.3M
70.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,079 A$7,253
$4,170 COP 13.5M
21.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,926 A$7,035
$1,910 COP 6.2M
157.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Broken Hill
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
10.94
-46.07%

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

Last update for Broken Hill: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Broken Hill
$1.1K
Medellin
$642 40% $428
Groceries & Markets
Broken Hill
$383
Medellin
$297 22.4% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Broken Hill
$287
Medellin
$211 26.5% $76
Eating Out
Broken Hill
$283
Medellin
$170 40% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Broken Hill
$156
Medellin
$169 8.1% $13
Getting Around
Broken Hill
$100
Medellin
$94 6.6% $6.7
Sport & Entertainment
Broken Hill
$92
Medellin
$58 37.2% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,594 in Broken Hill and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $83 in Broken Hill vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $297 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Broken Hill
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
16:42 4:42 PM
01:12 1:12 AM
15 h 30 min behind Broken Hill
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,456
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,617 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Broken Hill Medellin 15,230 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Broken Hill
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Broken Hill vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Broken Hill?
Medellin is about 31% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,556 in Broken Hill and $2,459 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Broken Hill and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,594 in Broken Hill versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Broken Hill and in Medellin?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Broken Hill. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Broken Hill and in Medellin?
All in, you’ll spend $2,371 per month in Broken Hill versus $1,639 in Medellin – Medellin is about 31% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is it better to live in Broken Hill or in Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Broken Hill vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?