Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,871 per month in Manukau vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,858 per month in Manukau vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,844 per month in Manukau vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Manukau costs about 82% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Manukau sits 40% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.34 NZ$26.26

$6.16 COP 20.1K

149.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 NZ$136

$32.60 COP 106.1K

142.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 NZ$15.91

$7.34 COP 23.9K

26.70%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$1.72 COP 5,600

103.49%

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

$1.50 NZ$2.56

$1.05 COP 3,420

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$0.77 COP 2,515

55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 NZ$8.69

$1.69 COP 5,488

200.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 NZ$9.18

$3.17 COP 10.3K

69.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.05 COP 3,423

64.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 NZ$3.59

$1.30 COP 4,236

60.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$1.40 COP 4,544

43.57%

Eggs

$4.96 NZ$8.49

$2.16 COP 7,047

129.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 NZ$9.92

$4.39 COP 14.3K

31.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 NZ$15.44

$5.88 COP 19.1K

53.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 NZ$22.31

$8.64 COP 28.1K

50.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 NZ$4.78

$2.28 COP 7,426

22.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$1.11 COP 3,604

107.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.78

$1.53 COP 4,983

120.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 NZ$6.95

$1.35 COP 4,410

200.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.13 COP 3,674

-3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.13 COP 3,692

51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$0.85 COP 2,753

129.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.18

$0.91 COP 2,975

39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.81 NZ$44.18

$2.34 COP 7,630

1002.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 NZ$8.74

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-58.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.04

$1.20 COP 3,909

145.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NZ$6.82

$2.49 COP 8,104

60.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 NZ$4.19

$0.84 COP 2,728

191.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$108

$40.57 COP 132.1K

55.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 NZ$3.67

$1.42 COP 4,623

51.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$1.92 COP 6,235

1.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.28 NZ$60.4

$7.66 COP 24.9K

360.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.90

$0.99 COP 3,223

70.71%

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

$28.9K NZ$49.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

60.11%

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

$21.9K NZ$37.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-17.58%

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

$142 NZ$242

$80.8 COP 263.1K

75.18%

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

$30.15 NZ$51.6

$9.95 COP 32.4K

203.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.33 NZ$82.8

$24.18 COP 78.7K

99.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 NZ$73.6

$25.08 COP 81.7K

71.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 NZ$20.78

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-36.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.35 NZ$24.57

$3.98 COP 13.0K

260.55%

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

$918 NZ$1,572

$305 COP 993.5K

200.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

125.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.63 NZ$83.3

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-16.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.97 NZ$83.8

$32.20 COP 104.8K

52.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 NZ$169

$101 COP 327.9K

-1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$211

$108 COP 350.8K

14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,638

$477 COP 1.6M

100.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,349

$376 COP 1.2M

109.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,684

$845 COP 2.7M

85.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 NZ$2,483

$730 COP 2.4M

98.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,110 NZ$8,749

$3,215 COP 10.5M

58.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,376 NZ$5,780

$1,372 COP 4.5M

146.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,087 NZ$3,574

$617 COP 2.0M

238.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

13.43

-52.57%

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

Last update for Manukau: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Manukau versus $477 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 238% higher in Manukau, 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 $79.0 in Manukau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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

Manukau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,871 in Manukau, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 82% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,807 per month in Manukau and $1,546 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.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Manukau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Manukau and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Manukau at $1,871. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manukau 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,871 in Manukau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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