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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Madang vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,183 per month in Madang vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,834 per month in Madang vs $2,167 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 60% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 PGK 29.94

$6.16 COP 20.1K

10.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.42 PGK 169

$32.60 COP 106.1K

17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 PGK 46.75

$7.34 COP 23.9K

44.82%

Cappuccino

$2.46 PGK 10.83

$1.72 COP 5,600

43.02%

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

$1.19 PGK 5.22

$1.05 COP 3,420

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 PGK 3.33

$0.77 COP 2,515

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 PGK 12.87

$1.69 COP 5,488

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 PGK 19.20

$3.17 COP 10.3K

37.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 PGK 8.65

$1.05 COP 3,423

87.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 PGK 6.46

$1.30 COP 4,236

13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PGK 6.20

$1.40 COP 4,544

0.71%

Eggs

$3.40 PGK 14.97

$2.16 COP 7,047

57.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 PGK 24.65

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 PGK 36.84

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 PGK 23.01

$2.28 COP 7,426

129.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 PGK 10.70

$1.11 COP 3,604

118.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 PGK 4.39

$1.53 COP 4,983

-34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 PGK 8.30

$1.35 COP 4,410

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$4.78 PGK 21.03

$1.13 COP 3,674

323.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 PGK 12.95

$1.13 COP 3,692

160.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.96 PGK 26.23

$0.85 COP 2,753

601.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.21

$0.91 COP 2,975

-45.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 PGK 22.75

$2.34 COP 7,630

120.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 PGK 9.27

$1.20 COP 3,909

75.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 PGK 10.46

$2.49 COP 8,104

-4.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PGK 4.70

$0.99 COP 3,223

8.08%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$68.4 PGK 301

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-15.37%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.39 PGK 107

$24.18 COP 78.7K

0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$80.1 PGK 352

$305 COP 993.5K

-73.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,952 PGK 26.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.02 PGK 83.7

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-67.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.14 PGK 62.2

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-56.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 PGK 296

$101 COP 327.9K

-33.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.64 PGK 126

$108 COP 350.8K

-73.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 PGK 4,146

$845 COP 2.7M

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 PGK 2,657

$730 COP 2.4M

-17.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 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 Madang: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 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: $226 vs $193 – 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 94% 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 $797 per month in Madang and $1,546 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 17% 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 $531, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $531 versus $1,031 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.