Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihir Island and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihir Island and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $246 per month in Lihir Island vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $456 per month in Lihir Island vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $667 per month in Lihir Island vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Lihir Island is about 76% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lihir Island and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lihir Island 82% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 PGK 20.61

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-19.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.49 PGK 124

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-13.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 PGK 25.63

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-18.06%

Cappuccino

$2.42 PGK 10.51

$1.70 COP 6,140

42.35%

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

$0.70 PGK 3.02

$1.10 COP 3,966

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PGK 3.06

$0.72 COP 2,605

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 PGK 15.81

$1.67 COP 6,022

117.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PGK 10.46

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-22.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 PGK 7.16

$1.06 COP 3,809

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 PGK 6.36

$1.25 COP 4,497

16.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 PGK 6.37

$1.39 COP 5,022

5.76%

Eggs

$2.32 PGK 10.09

$2.26 COP 8,168

2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 PGK 18.96

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-25.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.36 PGK 10.26

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-73.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 PGK 6.20

$1.08 COP 3,882

32.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 PGK 10.53

$1.13 COP 4,078

115.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PGK 4.06

$1.12 COP 4,036

-16.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.18

$0.91 COP 3,281

-45.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 PGK 25.49

$2.33 COP 8,414

151.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.29 PGK 40.32

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-16.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 PGK 10.36

$1.19 COP 4,309

100.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 PGK 10.54

$2.37 COP 8,553

2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Lihir Island: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Lihir Island versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $134 vs $190 – making Lihir Island 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

Lihir Island vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $246 in Lihir Island, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 321% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $369 per month in Lihir Island and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Lihir Island and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $246 in Lihir Island and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lihir Island, where all-in costs run around $246, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Lihir Island it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $246 in Lihir Island to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Lihir Island. 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.