Cost of Living Comparison Between Knysna and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Knysna and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,104 per month in Knysna vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Knysna vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,203 per month in Knysna vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Knysna costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Knysna and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Knysna 18% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 R 142

$5.92 COP 21.5K

45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.45 R 603

$32.75 COP 119.1K

11.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 82.3

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-30.97%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R 37.02

$1.70 COP 6,186

31.76%

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

$1.14 R 18.86

$1.10 COP 3,996

3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R 12.54

$0.72 COP 2,625

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 R 34.11

$1.67 COP 6,067

23.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.76

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-28.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.93

$1.06 COP 3,837

13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 R 14.72

$1.25 COP 4,531

-28.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.12

$1.39 COP 5,060

13.67%

Eggs

$2.55 R 42.17

$2.26 COP 8,229

12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 R 170

$4.33 COP 15.8K

136.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 R 72.1

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-25.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 R 108

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-26.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.58

$2.24 COP 8,159

-39.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.95

$1.08 COP 3,911

56.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R 21.06

$1.53 COP 5,563

-16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.59

$1.37 COP 4,987

17.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.50

$1.13 COP 4,109

25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.35

$1.12 COP 4,067

25.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 R 19.08

$0.85 COP 3,080

35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.55

$0.91 COP 3,305

9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 46.71

$2.33 COP 8,477

21.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 R 81.0

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-56.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 23.00

$1.19 COP 4,342

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 28.32

$2.37 COP 8,617

-27.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.91

$0.79 COP 2,859

106.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.75

$1.44 COP 5,223

-21.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.95

$1.91 COP 6,952

-52.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 R 68.4

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-48.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R 21.48

$0.94 COP 3,410

38.30%

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

$22.6K R 373.2K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

25.84%

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

$21.9K R 362.4K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-18.26%

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

$87.1 R 1,442

$84.0 COP 305.4K

3.78%

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

$22.70 R 376

$9.60 COP 34.9K

136.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.30 R 683

$24.16 COP 87.9K

70.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.60 R 755

$25.88 COP 94.1K

76.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.57 R 109

$3.92 COP 14.2K

67.60%

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

$242 R 4,007

$306 COP 1.1M

-20.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,289 R 71.0K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-27.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.94 R 826

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-13.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.41 R 536

$31.82 COP 115.7K

1.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,811

$99.9 COP 363.3K

9.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 R 1,326

$107 COP 389.7K

-25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 R 7,712

$487 COP 1.8M

-4.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,326

$368 COP 1.3M

20.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 R 12.6K

$826 COP 3.0M

-7.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 R 12.2K

$716 COP 2.6M

2.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,027 R 17.0K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-64.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,019 R 16.9K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-27.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$944 R 15.6K

$546 COP 2.0M

73.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

13.43

-8.79%

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

Last update for Knysna: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Knysna versus $487 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 73% higher in Knysna, 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 $36.00 in Knysna versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Knysna vs $190 in Medellin – so Knysna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Knysna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Knysna is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,657 per month in Knysna and $1,550 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,104 in Knysna and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $242 per month in Knysna and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Knysna at $1,104. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Knysna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Knysna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.