Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ashburton Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ashburton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,892 in Ashburton, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,952 in Ashburton, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $4,011 in Ashburton, rent included.

Medellin is about 45% cheaper than Ashburton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Ashburton is 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$16.86 NZ$28.83

-64.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$73.1 NZ$125

-55.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.44 NZ$16.15

-23.73%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.47 NZ$5.94

-51.01%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.28 NZ$3.90

-51.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.99 NZ$3.41

-63.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$7.35 NZ$12.57

-77.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$7.16 NZ$12.24

-56.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.84 NZ$3.15

-42.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.93 NZ$3.30

-35.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.74 NZ$2.97

-20.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$6.49 NZ$11.10

-65.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.40 NZ$14.36

-48.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$9.61 NZ$16.43

-39.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.84 NZ$21.95

-31.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.04 NZ$5.20

-26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.09 NZ$3.58

-48.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.03 NZ$5.18

-49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$3.42 NZ$5.85

-59.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.08 NZ$3.56

-45.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.20 NZ$3.77

-49.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.96 NZ$5.06

-71.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.47 NZ$2.51

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$23.73 NZ$40.57

-90.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.73 NZ$14.93

27.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.64 NZ$6.23

-67.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$4.97 NZ$8.49

-52.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$2.16 NZ$3.69

-63.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$64.9 NZ$111

-36.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.67 NZ$4.57

-46.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.64 NZ$2.80

16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$30.69 NZ$52.5

-73.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.71 NZ$2.92

-45.03%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.0K NZ$46.3K

-33.74%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.2K NZ$34.5K

32.62%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$118 NZ$202

-28.88%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$31.92 NZ$54.6

-69.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$53.8 NZ$92.1

-55.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.65 NZ$62.7

-29.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$11.95 NZ$20.44

59.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$11.18 NZ$19.12

-64.94%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$633 NZ$1,082

-51.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$9,539 NZ$16.3K

-37.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$30.68 NZ$52.5

88.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$43.34 NZ$74.1

-26.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$90.9 NZ$155

9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$150 NZ$256

-28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$988 NZ$1,689

-50.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$799 NZ$1,366

-53.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,576 NZ$2,696

-47.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,430 NZ$2,445

-49.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$4,328 NZ$7,401

-32.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$3,444 NZ$5,890

-59.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.74

99.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ashburton: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $988 in Ashburton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $73.0 in Ashburton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $325 – 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

Medellin vs Ashburton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,892 in Ashburton – roughly 83% apart. Ashburton costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,838 in Ashburton. 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 71% more in Ashburton, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $73.0 in Ashburton. 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 $1,034, than in Ashburton at $1,892. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ashburton 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $1,892 in Ashburton. 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, Ashburton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.