Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Blacktown

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,570 in Blacktown, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Blacktown, Australia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Blacktown
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,570
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Blacktown

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Blacktown actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $2,570 in Blacktown.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Blacktown $2,570

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $3,742 in Blacktown.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Blacktown $3,742

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $4,913 in Blacktown.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Blacktown $4,913

Living in Medellin costs roughly 34% less than in Blacktown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 25% above, Blacktown 90% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$20.89 A$29.90
-60.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.2K
$91.5 A$131
-49.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$10.33 A$14.79
-8.33%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$4.21 A$6.03
-25.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,702
$3.05 A$4.37
-41.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,599
$2.59 A$3.71
-45.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$8.39 A$12.02
-62.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$9.60 A$13.74
-40.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,948
$1.48 A$2.12
3.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,397
$3.13 A$4.48
-26.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,279
$2.63 A$3.77
-26.24%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,900
$5.21 A$7.46
-41.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
$13.18 A$18.86
-24.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$9.73 A$13.92
7.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
$15.64 A$22.39
-10.74%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.92 A$5.60
3.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,934
$3.21 A$4.60
-52.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,794
$3.43 A$4.91
-38.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,405
$5.16 A$7.38
-55.62%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,810
$3.19 A$4.56
-33.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,518
$2.78 A$3.97
-38.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,778
$2.59 A$3.70
-54.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,101
$1.33 A$1.90
18.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$44.83 A$64.2
-91.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
$14.03 A$20.09
0.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,688
$4.71 A$6.74
-62.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,756
$5.66 A$8.11
-52.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,809
$2.82 A$4.04
-58.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.3K
$84.7 A$121
-9.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,833
$4.04 A$5.79
-55.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,874
$1.65 A$2.36
29.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
$44.00 A$63.0
-81.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,117
$1.32 A$1.90
-3.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
$27.9K A$40.0K
23.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.2M
$25.9K A$37.1K
31.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.8K
$186 A$267
-4.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$26.45 A$37.86
-47.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.2K
$56.8 A$81.2
-45.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.4K
$56.1 A$80.2
-25.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
$18.01 A$25.78
-6.72%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$15.94 A$22.81
-53.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$2,512 A$3,595
-68.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$20.4K A$29.2K
-39.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.7K
$77.3 A$111
11.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.3K
$56.3 A$80.6
5.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.6K
$109 A$156
27.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.0K
$131 A$188
-24.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,429 A$2,045
-6.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$1,209 A$1,730
-44.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$2,271 A$3,251
-13.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$1,801 A$2,578
-42.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$5,893 A$8,436
-30.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$4,960 A$7,100
-60.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Blacktown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.95
83.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Blacktown: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Blacktown
$1.2K 81.2% $542
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Blacktown
$395 28.6% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Blacktown
$270 21.2% $47
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Blacktown
$332 92.6% $160
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Blacktown
$168 2.4% $4.2
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Blacktown
$108 15.9% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Blacktown
$88 54.5% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $1,429 in Blacktown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $91 in Blacktown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $395 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇦🇺 Blacktown
🕒 Local time
12:35 12:35 PM
04:35 4:35 AM
16 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
46,942
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.624 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Blacktown 14,350 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Blacktown

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Blacktown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Blacktown?
Medellin is about 34% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $3,855 in Blacktown to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Blacktown?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,429 in Blacktown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 10% less than in Blacktown. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $790 in Medellin versus $2,512 in Blacktown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Blacktown?
At $1,692 in Medellin versus $2,570 in Blacktown, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Blacktown. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Blacktown?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Blacktown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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