Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,857 in Dunedin versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,803 in Dunedin versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,748 in Dunedin versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 80% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dunedin is 39% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 NZ$20.48

$6.16 COP 20.0K

94.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 NZ$123

$32.60 COP 106.0K

120.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 NZ$18.91

$7.34 COP 23.9K

50.54%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$1.72 COP 5,592

101.16%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.77

$1.05 COP 3,416

109.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NZ$3.50

$0.77 COP 2,511

164.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 NZ$12.33

$1.69 COP 5,480

326.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 NZ$10.03

$3.17 COP 10.3K

84.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.55

$1.05 COP 3,418

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.41

$1.30 COP 4,230

53.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.22

$1.40 COP 4,538

34.29%

Eggs

$5.71 NZ$9.77

$2.16 COP 7,037

164.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 NZ$14.45

$4.39 COP 14.3K

92.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 NZ$18.32

$5.88 COP 19.1K

82.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.48

$8.64 COP 28.1K

52.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$4.96

$2.28 COP 7,415

27.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.84

$1.11 COP 3,599

101.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 NZ$5.88

$1.53 COP 4,976

124.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 NZ$7.65

$1.35 COP 4,405

231.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.13 COP 3,669

75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.13 COP 3,687

75.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$0.85 COP 2,749

198.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.89

$0.91 COP 2,971

20.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.44 NZ$41.81

$2.34 COP 7,619

944.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 NZ$14.98

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-29.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 NZ$4.41

$1.20 COP 3,904

115.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.26

$2.49 COP 8,094

46.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$0.84 COP 2,724

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 NZ$125

$40.57 COP 131.9K

79.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 NZ$10.44

$1.42 COP 4,617

329.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NZ$1.94

$1.92 COP 6,227

-41.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.14 NZ$51.6

$7.66 COP 24.9K

293.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$0.99 COP 3,219

66.67%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.6K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

9.08%

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

$25.2K NZ$43.2K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-5.20%

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

$102 NZ$175

$80.8 COP 262.7K

26.57%

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

$36.07 NZ$61.7

$9.95 COP 32.3K

262.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 NZ$93.1

$24.18 COP 78.6K

125.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$25.08 COP 81.5K

107.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.20 NZ$10.61

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-67.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 NZ$16.36

$3.98 COP 13.0K

140.20%

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

$584 NZ$999

$305 COP 992.2K

91.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

97.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 NZ$114

$58.1 COP 189.0K

14.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 NZ$61.3

$32.20 COP 104.7K

11.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 NZ$166

$101 COP 327.5K

-3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$108 COP 350.3K

13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 NZ$1,532

$477 COP 1.5M

87.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 NZ$1,327

$376 COP 1.2M

106.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 NZ$2,607

$845 COP 2.7M

80.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 NZ$2,237

$730 COP 2.4M

78.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,229 NZ$3,813

$1,372 COP 4.5M

62.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,522 NZ$4,315

$617 COP 2.0M

308.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

13.43

-47.36%

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

Last update for Dunedin: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Dunedin and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 309% 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: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 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

Dunedin vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Medellin differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($1,857 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 309% higher in Dunedin, 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: $895 in Dunedin versus $477 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 80% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $584 in Dunedin versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,857 in Dunedin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Dunedin 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 80% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.