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: $1,930 in Dunedin versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,859 in Dunedin versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,787 in Dunedin versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 12% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 40% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 NZ$25.66

$8.03 COP 25.3K

87.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 NZ$109

$48.26 COP 152.0K

32.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 NZ$20.34

$9.77 COP 30.8K

21.80%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$5.79

$2.91 COP 9,167

16.49%

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

$2.21 NZ$3.78

$1.94 COP 6,122

13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NZ$3.68

$1.52 COP 4,792

41.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.24 NZ$12.37

$3.09 COP 9,740

134.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 NZ$11.34

$5.74 COP 18.1K

15.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 NZ$3.80

$1.36 COP 4,296

63.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$2.39 COP 7,519

-15.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.05

$1.70 COP 5,356

4.71%

Eggs

$5.96 NZ$10.18

$2.87 COP 9,038

107.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.38

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-9.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.70

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-9.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 NZ$29.78

$14.73 COP 46.4K

18.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.23

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-25.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$1.57 COP 4,950

51.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.84

$2.13 COP 6,695

60.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 NZ$9.09

$2.21 COP 6,972

140.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.41

$2.05 COP 6,447

-2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$1.50 COP 4,737

28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 NZ$4.29

$1.19 COP 3,747

110.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 NZ$1.01

$1.16 COP 3,647

-49.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.07 NZ$37.71

$3.90 COP 12.3K

465.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.64 NZ$16.47

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-33.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NZ$5.63

$1.58 COP 4,987

108.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.14

$2.83 COP 8,905

-55.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 NZ$2.07

$1.17 COP 3,679

3.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 NZ$121

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-9.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 NZ$10.15

$1.28 COP 4,045

364.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.41 NZ$50.3

$8.62 COP 27.1K

241.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$1.30 COP 4,088

36.15%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.7K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-5.42%

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

$26.3K NZ$44.9K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-26.06%

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

$116 NZ$198

$176 COP 554.5K

-34.26%

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

$29.62 NZ$50.6

$13.37 COP 42.1K

121.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 NZ$91.8

$29.89 COP 94.1K

79.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 NZ$86.7

$44.76 COP 141.0K

13.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NZ$18.21

$6.20 COP 19.5K

71.94%

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

$616 NZ$1,052

$793 COP 2.5M

-22.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 NZ$106

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-27.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.56 NZ$64.2

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 NZ$163

$136 COP 429.3K

-29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$245

$103 COP 324.7K

38.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 NZ$1,554

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-14.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 NZ$1,374

$680 COP 2.1M

18.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 NZ$2,698

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-21.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 NZ$2,082

$1,169 COP 3.7M

4.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,313 NZ$3,952

$1,701 COP 5.4M

35.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,574 NZ$4,397

$665 COP 2.1M

286.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

10.94

-35.37%

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

Last update for Dunedin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $910 in Dunedin and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 287% 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: $64.0 in Dunedin vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $303 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,930 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 287% 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: $910 in Dunedin versus $1,060 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 10% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $616 in Dunedin versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,930 in Dunedin, a $2,500 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 12% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.