Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,583 per month in Cairns vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,813 per month in Cairns vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,042 per month in Cairns vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Cairns costs about 51% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cairns and Medellin sit above the global median – Cairns by 88%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 A$25.30

$8.03 COP 25.3K

125.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 A$142

$48.26 COP 152.3K

110.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 A$17.85

$9.77 COP 30.8K

30.60%

Cappuccino

$4.60 A$6.44

$2.91 COP 9,185

58.08%

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

$3.23 A$4.52

$1.94 COP 6,134

66.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 A$3.87

$1.52 COP 4,801

81.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 A$9.97

$3.09 COP 9,759

130.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.38 A$11.72

$5.74 COP 18.1K

45.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 A$2.76

$1.36 COP 4,304

44.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.39 COP 7,534

15.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.66

$1.70 COP 5,366

54.12%

Eggs

$5.44 A$7.61

$2.87 COP 9,056

89.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 A$13.34

$9.94 COP 31.4K

-4.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 A$19.97

$10.78 COP 34.0K

32.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 A$21.41

$14.73 COP 46.5K

3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.72

$4.09 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$1.57 COP 4,960

80.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 A$5.14

$2.13 COP 6,708

72.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 A$8.15

$2.21 COP 6,985

163.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.74

$2.05 COP 6,460

30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.61

$1.50 COP 4,747

72.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 A$3.99

$1.19 COP 3,755

139.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.62

$1.16 COP 3,654

123.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.99 A$62.9

$3.90 COP 12.3K

1053.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 A$20.27

$14.44 COP 45.6K

0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 A$4.98

$1.58 COP 4,997

125.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 A$7.71

$2.83 COP 8,923

94.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$4.97

$1.17 COP 3,686

203.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.04 A$22.44

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-79.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 A$3.77

$1.28 COP 4,054

110.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 A$2.77

$2.09 COP 6,602

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 A$61.2

$8.62 COP 27.2K

407.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.71

$1.30 COP 4,096

-5.38%

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

$31.4K A$43.9K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

13.39%

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

$42.2K A$59.1K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

18.94%

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

$165 A$231

$176 COP 555.6K

-6.03%

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

$35.34 A$49.43

$13.37 COP 42.2K

164.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 A$96.8

$29.89 COP 94.3K

131.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.13 A$64.5

$44.76 COP 141.2K

3.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.53 A$39.91

$17.06 COP 53.8K

67.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 A$20.36

$6.20 COP 19.6K

134.68%

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

$2,156 A$3,016

$793 COP 2.5M

171.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K A$19.9K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

57.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 A$130

$85.6 COP 270.1K

8.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.3 A$102

$58.5 COP 184.5K

25.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$174

$136 COP 430.1K

-8.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$103 COP 325.4K

32.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 A$2,122

$1,060 COP 3.3M

43.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 A$1,755

$680 COP 2.1M

84.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,315 A$3,239

$2,012 COP 6.3M

15.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 A$2,777

$1,169 COP 3.7M

69.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,709 A$9,385

$4,111 COP 13.0M

63.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,173 A$7,237

$1,701 COP 5.4M

204.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,565 A$6,385

$665 COP 2.1M

586.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

10.94

-42.23%

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

Last update for Cairns: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,517 in Cairns versus $1,060 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 586% higher in Cairns, 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 $102 in Cairns versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $303 – 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

Cairns vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns costs about 51% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,875 per month in Cairns and $2,574 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.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Cairns and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Cairns at $2,583. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,716 versus $2,583 in Cairns. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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