Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boroko Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boroko

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $898 in Boroko, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,289 in Boroko, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,680 in Boroko, rent included.

Medellin costs about 83% more than Boroko, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Boroko is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.21 PGK 31.27

11.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$36.26 PGK 157

33.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.77 PGK 25.04

63.26%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.45 PGK 10.65

20.00%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.77 PGK 3.36

141.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.65 PGK 2.84

124.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.77 PGK 12.03

15.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.71 PGK 16.11

53.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.57 PGK 6.80

-8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.18 PGK 5.12

103.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.24 PGK 5.38

37.10%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.68 PGK 15.96

-21.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$5.21 PGK 22.59

93.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.23 PGK 22.68

90.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$6.47 PGK 28.10

119.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.03 PGK 17.48

-1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$3.10 PGK 13.45

-49.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.80 PGK 12.15

-23.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.79 PGK 12.11

-17.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.99 PGK 12.97

-33.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.86 PGK 3.72

75.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.12 PGK 4.86

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.46 PGK 2.00

178.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.70 PGK 24.74

-32.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$5.03 PGK 21.85

178.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.10 PGK 4.77

55.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.63 PGK 7.06

68.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.47 PGK 2.05

165.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$30.65 PGK 133

154.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$4.58 PGK 19.89

-71.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.32 PGK 5.73

64.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$11.29 PGK 48.99

-26.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.81 PGK 3.51

67.90%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.0K PGK 91.2K

30.77%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$17.9K PGK 77.6K

104.40%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$64.0 PGK 278

163.63%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$23.80 PGK 103

-42.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$92.3 PGK 401

-69.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$43.35 PGK 188

5.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$14.52 PGK 63.0

18.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.61 PGK 28.68

0.61%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$337 PGK 1,462

138.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$2,276 PGK 9,876

303.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$33.26 PGK 144

162.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$13.70 PGK 59.4

333.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$45.48 PGK 197

205.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$26.86 PGK 117

279.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$3,436 PGK 14.9K

-68.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$224 PGK 974

191.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$3,317 PGK 14.4K

-41.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$223 PGK 968

369.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$365 PGK 1,582

79.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Boroko: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $3,436 in Boroko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $212 – making Boroko 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 Boroko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 83% more than Boroko, 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 $1,348 in Boroko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boroko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $337 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Boroko, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Boroko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $898 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Boroko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.