Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Avarua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Avarua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,721 in Avarua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,709 in Avarua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,697 in Avarua, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Avarua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Avarua sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Avarua by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.82 NZ$20.33

-31.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$59.9 NZ$103

-19.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.96 NZ$15.41

5.13%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.24 NZ$5.57

-9.26%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.26 NZ$3.89

-17.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.40 NZ$4.13

-39.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$5.81 NZ$9.99

-44.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.30 NZ$7.40

32.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.81 NZ$3.10

-20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.55 NZ$6.10

-32.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.81 NZ$3.10

-6.08%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$5.01 NZ$8.62

-42.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.73 NZ$20.18

-14.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$8.15 NZ$14.00

22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.62 NZ$18.26

33.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.92 NZ$5.02

36.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.80 NZ$3.09

-12.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.63 NZ$6.24

-40.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$9.64 NZ$16.58

-76.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.02 NZ$5.19

-33.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.37 NZ$4.07

-36.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.33 NZ$4.01

-48.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$2.87 NZ$4.94

-55.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$14.92 NZ$25.64

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$4.34 NZ$7.47

-36.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$2.86 NZ$4.92

-56.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.20 NZ$3.78

-38.18%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$119 NZ$205

41.71%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,012 NZ$1,740

5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,007 NZ$1,731

-35.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$120 NZ$206

1509.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$971 NZ$1,669

74.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Avarua: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,012 in Avarua. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $60.0 in Avarua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $373 – 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 Avarua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Avarua costs about 5% more than Medellin, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,581 in Avarua. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,721 in Avarua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Avarua, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Avarua at $1,721. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Avarua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,641 versus $1,721 in Avarua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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