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: $1,529 in Masterton versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,449 in Masterton versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,368 in Masterton versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Masterton is roughly 48% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 14% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 NZ$17.21

$6.16 COP 20.0K

63.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 NZ$158

$32.60 COP 106.0K

182.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 NZ$15.39

$7.34 COP 23.9K

22.62%

Cappuccino

$3.23 NZ$5.53

$1.72 COP 5,592

87.79%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.64

$1.05 COP 3,416

102.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.84

$0.77 COP 2,511

115.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 NZ$6.12

$1.69 COP 5,480

111.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NZ$7.07

$3.17 COP 10.3K

30.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 NZ$2.56

$1.05 COP 3,418

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 NZ$2.75

$1.30 COP 4,230

23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 NZ$2.07

$1.40 COP 4,538

-13.57%

Eggs

$6.12 NZ$10.47

$2.16 COP 7,037

183.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 NZ$12.39

$4.39 COP 14.3K

64.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 NZ$15.27

$5.88 COP 19.1K

51.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.27

$8.64 COP 28.1K

43.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$2.28 COP 7,415

-22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.11 COP 3,599

67.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.21

$1.53 COP 4,976

60.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.86

$1.35 COP 4,405

153.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 NZ$2.40

$1.13 COP 3,669

23.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 NZ$2.07

$1.13 COP 3,687

7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$0.85 COP 2,749

108.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 NZ$1.52

$0.91 COP 2,971

-2.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.72 NZ$35.45

$2.34 COP 7,619

785.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.76 NZ$18.42

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 NZ$3.86

$1.20 COP 3,904

88.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 NZ$4.68

$2.49 COP 8,094

9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 NZ$4.22

$0.84 COP 2,724

192.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 NZ$108

$40.57 COP 131.9K

54.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 NZ$4.22

$1.42 COP 4,617

73.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$1.92 COP 6,227

-3.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.59 NZ$71.2

$7.66 COP 24.9K

442.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$0.99 COP 3,219

64.65%

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

$24.5K NZ$41.9K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

35.98%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-13.85%

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

$81.2 NZ$139

$80.8 COP 262.7K

0.42%

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

$32.37 NZ$55.4

$9.95 COP 32.3K

225.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.52 NZ$81.3

$24.18 COP 78.6K

96.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 NZ$70.5

$25.08 COP 81.5K

64.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 NZ$15.10

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-53.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.32 NZ$14.23

$3.98 COP 13.0K

109.05%

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

$397 NZ$679

$305 COP 992.2K

29.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,782 NZ$8,181

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-21.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 NZ$120

$58.1 COP 189.0K

21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.18 NZ$51.6

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$178

$101 COP 327.5K

3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$194

$108 COP 350.3K

5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 NZ$1,359

$477 COP 1.5M

66.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 NZ$1,034

$376 COP 1.2M

60.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 NZ$2,111

$845 COP 2.7M

46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 NZ$1,854

$730 COP 2.4M

48.39%

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)

$2,458 NZ$4,205

$617 COP 2.0M

298.48%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $794 in Masterton and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 298% 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: $92.0 in Masterton vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $193 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 298% higher in Masterton, 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: $794 in Masterton versus $477 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 $92.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,529 per month in Masterton versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,529 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 48% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.