Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cairns Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cairns

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,579 in Cairns, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,855 in Cairns, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $5,132 in Cairns, rent included.

Medellin is about 35% cheaper than Cairns, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Cairns sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Cairns by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$18.20 A$25.67

-55.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$100 A$141

-52.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$12.96 A$18.28

-23.69%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.36 A$6.15

-28.21%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.33 A$4.70

-42.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.73 A$3.86

-44.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$7.12 A$10.04

-56.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$8.68 A$12.24

-33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.91 A$2.69

-24.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.71 A$3.82

-8.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.49 A$3.51

-28.92%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.31 A$7.49

-44.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.34 A$13.17

7.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$14.20 A$20.03

-28.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$15.64 A$22.06

-8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.30 A$6.07

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.79 A$3.93

-42.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.63 A$5.12

-38.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$6.03 A$8.50

-62.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.54 A$3.58

-19.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.53 A$3.57

-39.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.81 A$3.97

-58.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.57 A$3.62

-49.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$45.30 A$63.9

-91.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$14.33 A$20.21

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.73 A$5.26

-53.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$5.38 A$7.58

-46.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$3.54 A$4.99

-65.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$15.87 A$22.38

407.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.68 A$3.78

-51.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.97 A$2.78

11.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$42.54 A$60.0

-79.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.24 A$1.76

10.48%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$31.9K A$44.9K

-12.65%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$42.2K A$59.5K

-15.22%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$164 A$232

7.79%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$36.29 A$51.2

-61.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$67.4 A$95.1

-55.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$45.28 A$63.9

-0.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$28.61 A$40.35

-40.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$14.17 A$19.98

-53.07%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$2,150 A$3,032

-62.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$14.2K A$20.1K

-35.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$91.1 A$128

-1.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$75.1 A$106

-21.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$127 A$179

8.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$136 A$192

-25.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,492 A$2,104

-28.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,262 A$1,779

-47.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,307 A$3,253

-18.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,014 A$2,840

-48.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$6,547 A$9,234

-36.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$5,113 A$7,211

-67.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$4,388 A$6,188

-84.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.32

73.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cairns: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,492 in Cairns. 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 547% higher in Cairns, 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 $100 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $419 – 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 Cairns: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns costs about 53% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $3,868 in Cairns. 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 38% more in Cairns, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $100 in Cairns. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Cairns at $2,579. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,681 versus $2,579 in Cairns. 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, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.