Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,478 per month in Invercargill vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,199 per month in Invercargill vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,919 per month in Invercargill vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Invercargill is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Invercargill and Medellin sit above the global median – Invercargill by 8%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.99 NZ$25.18

$7.89 COP 24.2K

89.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 NZ$108

$44.53 COP 136.5K

44.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 NZ$14.83

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-4.95%

Cappuccino

$3.20 NZ$5.38

$2.90 COP 8,874

10.34%

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

$1.81 NZ$3.04

$1.81 COP 5,541

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NZ$3.93

$1.55 COP 4,741

50.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 NZ$4.92

$3.25 COP 9,962

-9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.03

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-49.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$2.97

$1.38 COP 4,230

28.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 NZ$2.91

$2.45 COP 7,517

-28.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.10

$1.51 COP 4,617

21.85%

Eggs

$5.89 NZ$9.90

$2.78 COP 8,516

111.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.47

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$14.84

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-17.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 NZ$21.47

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-12.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 NZ$4.53

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-31.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.08

$1.38 COP 4,219

76.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 NZ$4.60

$2.30 COP 7,056

19.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 NZ$5.96

$2.02 COP 6,185

75.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 NZ$5.70

$2.09 COP 6,390

62.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 NZ$2.84

$1.63 COP 4,996

3.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NZ$4.12

$1.08 COP 3,313

127.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.93

$1.25 COP 3,843

-8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.44 NZ$30.97

$4.03 COP 12.4K

357.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 NZ$15.00

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-33.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 NZ$5.26

$1.60 COP 4,904

95.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 NZ$6.10

$3.00 COP 9,189

21.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 NZ$2.64

$1.18 COP 3,611

33.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 NZ$4.02

$1.61 COP 4,920

48.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.30

$2.13 COP 6,533

-7.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.37 NZ$49.33

$8.52 COP 26.1K

244.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.73

$1.35 COP 4,142

20.74%

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

$25.1K NZ$42.2K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-11.32%

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

$19.4K NZ$32.5K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-45.76%

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

$101 NZ$169

$151 COP 463.8K

-33.46%

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

$33.12 NZ$55.6

$13.10 COP 40.1K

152.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.53 NZ$74.8

$32.30 COP 99.0K

37.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.43 NZ$47.74

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-38.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 NZ$25.03

$17.26 COP 52.9K

-13.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.39 NZ$15.77

$6.43 COP 19.7K

46.03%

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

$620 NZ$1,042

$835 COP 2.6M

-25.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 NZ$100

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-33.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 NZ$63.2

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-32.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 NZ$126

$137 COP 418.5K

-45.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 NZ$138

$109 COP 335.1K

-24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 NZ$1,052

$952 COP 2.9M

-34.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 NZ$953

$668 COP 2.0M

-15.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 NZ$1,452

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-57.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$797 NZ$1,339

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-30.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,834 NZ$9,797

$3,696 COP 11.3M

57.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,244 NZ$8,806

$1,586 COP 4.9M

230.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,903 NZ$4,875

$625 COP 1.9M

364.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

10.43

-35.57%

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

Last update for Invercargill: August 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Invercargill versus $952 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 364% higher in Invercargill, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Invercargill versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $297 – 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

Invercargill vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 14% more than Invercargill, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,218 per month in Invercargill and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Invercargill, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,478 in Invercargill and $1,687 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $620 per month in Invercargill and $835 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Invercargill, where all-in costs run around $1,478, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Invercargill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Invercargill costs $1,478 versus $1,687 in Medellin. 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 Invercargill. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.