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: $1,807 in Dunedin versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Dunedin versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Dunedin versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 78% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dunedin is 35% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.65

$5.99 COP 21.4K

104.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$123

$32.86 COP 117.4K

122.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.35

$7.09 COP 25.3K

53.31%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.82

$1.71 COP 6,115

101.75%

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

$2.18 NZ$3.67

$1.10 COP 3,924

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.38

$0.78 COP 2,781

156.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.16

$1.68 COP 5,997

328.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.08

$3.07 COP 11.0K

94.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.09 COP 3,906

89.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.24

$1.26 COP 4,508

52.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.16

$1.38 COP 4,922

35.51%

Eggs

$5.73 NZ$9.67

$2.19 COP 7,827

161.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.62

$4.40 COP 15.7K

83.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 NZ$18.30

$5.63 COP 20.1K

92.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.23

$8.89 COP 31.8K

48.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.94

$2.34 COP 8,349

25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.81

$1.06 COP 3,777

112.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NZ$5.78

$1.50 COP 5,374

128.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NZ$7.51

$1.38 COP 4,924

222.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.34

$1.15 COP 4,111

72.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.41

$1.16 COP 4,155

74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NZ$4.33

$0.89 COP 3,182

187.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.82

$0.84 COP 2,997

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 NZ$40.11

$2.28 COP 8,145

942.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 NZ$15.88

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.31

$1.20 COP 4,284

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.19

$2.47 COP 8,824

48.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.08

$0.86 COP 3,056

43.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 NZ$124

$41.40 COP 147.9K

77.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.36

$1.47 COP 5,264

317.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$1.96 COP 7,009

-41.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 NZ$50.3

$7.74 COP 27.6K

284.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$0.95 COP 3,409

74.74%

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

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

10.20%

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

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-4.14%

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

$102 NZ$173

$82.3 COP 293.7K

24.30%

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

$35.87 NZ$60.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

277.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$91.7

$24.23 COP 86.5K

124.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$88.1

$25.89 COP 92.4K

101.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.36

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-67.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 NZ$16.32

$3.93 COP 14.0K

146.06%

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

$575 NZ$971

$309 COP 1.1M

85.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

99.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 NZ$114

$58.7 COP 209.5K

14.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.51 NZ$60.0

$32.35 COP 115.5K

9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 NZ$159

$103 COP 366.4K

-8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$205

$108 COP 387.2K

11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 NZ$1,493

$476 COP 1.7M

85.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,278

$379 COP 1.4M

99.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,501

$838 COP 3.0M

76.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 NZ$2,250

$724 COP 2.6M

84.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,104

$2,791 COP 10.0M

8.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,452

$1,211 COP 4.3M

68.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,409

$512 COP 1.8M

410.23%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Dunedin and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 410% 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: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $188 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 78% in total monthly costs ($1,807 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dunedin pays 410% more on average, 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: $884 in Dunedin versus $476 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 78% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $575 in Dunedin versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,807 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 78% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.