Cost of Living Comparison Between Madang and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Madang and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Madang vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Madang vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,805 per month in Madang vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Madang is about 48% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Madang and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Madang 61% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 PGK 29.22

$5.99 COP 21.4K

11.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 PGK 165

$32.86 COP 117.4K

14.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 PGK 47.83

$7.09 COP 25.3K

54.72%

Cappuccino

$2.35 PGK 10.23

$1.71 COP 6,115

37.43%

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

$1.23 PGK 5.38

$1.10 COP 3,924

11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PGK 3.05

$0.78 COP 2,781

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 PGK 12.67

$1.68 COP 5,997

73.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PGK 19.15

$3.07 COP 11.0K

43.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 PGK 8.22

$1.09 COP 3,906

72.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PGK 6.33

$1.26 COP 4,508

15.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PGK 6.14

$1.38 COP 4,922

2.17%

Eggs

$3.34 PGK 14.55

$2.19 COP 7,827

52.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 PGK 24.90

$5.63 COP 20.1K

1.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 PGK 35.49

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-8.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 PGK 22.48

$2.34 COP 8,349

120.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 PGK 10.39

$1.06 COP 3,777

124.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PGK 4.31

$1.50 COP 5,374

-34.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 PGK 8.61

$1.38 COP 4,924

42.75%

Potato (1kg)

$4.88 PGK 21.30

$1.15 COP 4,111

324.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.29

$1.16 COP 4,155

143.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.91 PGK 25.76

$0.89 COP 3,182

564.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 PGK 2.04

$0.84 COP 2,997

-44.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 PGK 22.15

$2.28 COP 8,145

122.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 PGK 9.31

$1.20 COP 4,284

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PGK 10.75

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 PGK 4.82

$0.95 COP 3,409

16.84%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$67.8 PGK 296

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-17.53%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.17 PGK 105

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$78.9 PGK 344

$309 COP 1.1M

-74.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,046 PGK 26.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

1.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.45 PGK 84.8

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-66.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.56 PGK 63.5

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-54.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 PGK 288

$103 COP 366.4K

-35.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.07 PGK 127

$108 COP 387.2K

-73.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 PGK 4,175

$838 COP 3.0M

14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 PGK 2,664

$724 COP 2.6M

-15.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 Madang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Madang versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $188 – 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

Madang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 93% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $789 per month in Madang and $1,519 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 $38.00 in Madang and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madang, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Madang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madang costs $526 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Madang. 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.