Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,511 in Masterton versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Masterton versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,381 in Masterton versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Masterton is roughly 49% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 13% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.85 NZ$16.63

$5.99 COP 21.4K

64.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 NZ$153

$32.86 COP 117.4K

176.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$15.54

$7.09 COP 25.3K

29.76%

Cappuccino

$3.20 NZ$5.41

$1.71 COP 6,115

87.13%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.59

$1.10 COP 3,924

93.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 NZ$2.78

$0.78 COP 2,781

111.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 NZ$6.29

$1.68 COP 5,997

121.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NZ$7.20

$3.07 COP 11.0K

39.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.50

$1.09 COP 3,906

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.74

$1.26 COP 4,508

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.96

$1.38 COP 4,922

-15.94%

Eggs

$6.29 NZ$10.63

$2.19 COP 7,827

187.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 NZ$11.91

$4.40 COP 15.7K

60.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.19

$5.63 COP 20.1K

59.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 NZ$20.98

$8.89 COP 31.8K

39.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$2.34 COP 8,349

-21.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.18

$1.06 COP 3,777

77.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 NZ$4.24

$1.50 COP 5,374

67.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 NZ$5.76

$1.38 COP 4,924

147.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 NZ$2.44

$1.15 COP 4,111

25.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 NZ$1.97

$1.16 COP 4,155

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$0.89 COP 3,182

107.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.53

$0.84 COP 2,997

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.45 NZ$34.52

$2.28 COP 8,145

796.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 NZ$20.16

$10.64 COP 38.0K

12.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NZ$3.80

$1.20 COP 4,284

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 NZ$4.53

$2.47 COP 8,824

8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 NZ$4.01

$0.86 COP 3,056

175.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$107

$41.40 COP 147.9K

52.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 NZ$4.17

$1.47 COP 5,264

68.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.12

$1.96 COP 7,009

-5.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.43 NZ$70.0

$7.74 COP 27.6K

435.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.72

$0.95 COP 3,409

69.47%

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

$24.4K NZ$41.2K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

34.47%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.1K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-12.47%

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

$80.3 NZ$136

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-2.33%

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

$32.14 NZ$54.3

$9.50 COP 33.9K

238.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.89 NZ$82.5

$24.23 COP 86.5K

101.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.50 NZ$70.1

$25.89 COP 92.4K

60.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.87 NZ$14.98

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-53.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.18 NZ$13.80

$3.93 COP 14.0K

108.14%

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

$407 NZ$687

$309 COP 1.1M

31.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,895 NZ$8,264

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-17.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NZ$116

$58.7 COP 209.5K

17.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.90 NZ$50.5

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$177

$103 COP 366.4K

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NZ$193

$108 COP 387.2K

5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,326

$476 COP 1.7M

64.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 NZ$1,008

$379 COP 1.4M

57.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 NZ$2,090

$838 COP 3.0M

47.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 NZ$1,854

$724 COP 2.6M

51.68%

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)

$2,518 NZ$4,252

$512 COP 1.8M

392.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

13.43

-50.19%

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

Last update for Masterton: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Masterton and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 392% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $91.0 in Masterton vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Masterton vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Masterton pays 392% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $785 in Masterton versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $91.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,511 per month in Masterton versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,511 in Masterton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Masterton. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Masterton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Masterton and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.