Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Canterbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Canterbury

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $932 in Canterbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,543 in Canterbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,155 in Canterbury, rent included.

Medellin costs about 80% more than Canterbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Canterbury is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.42 NZ$25.22

-44.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$63.0 NZ$110

-24.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$11.72 NZ$20.48

-15.61%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.23 NZ$5.65

-3.10%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.18 NZ$3.81

-12.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-28.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.15 NZ$7.25

-24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.41 NZ$11.21

-10.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.24 NZ$3.91

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.98 NZ$3.45

25.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.74 NZ$3.04

1.72%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.60 NZ$9.80

-47.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.52 NZ$14.89

18.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.94 NZ$15.63

13.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$16.81 NZ$29.39

-14.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.06 NZ$5.36

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.29 NZ$4.00

-29.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.37 NZ$5.90

-33.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$5.13 NZ$8.96

-56.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.94 NZ$3.39

5.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.82 NZ$3.18

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.34 NZ$4.10

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.61 NZ$1.06

114.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$21.38 NZ$37.38

-81.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.32 NZ$16.29

50.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.34 NZ$5.83

-47.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.26 NZ$2.21

127.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.71 NZ$9.99

-77.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$28.46 NZ$49.76

-69.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.63 NZ$2.85

-15.95%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$25.5K NZ$44.5K

9.30%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$26.4K NZ$46.2K

35.32%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$114 NZ$200

55.12%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$28.91 NZ$50.5

-51.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$52.6 NZ$92.0

-43.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.63 NZ$18.58

-37.44%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$611 NZ$1,068

33.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$59.9 NZ$105

49.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$22.74 NZ$39.75

159.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$93.0 NZ$162

48.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$141 NZ$246

-27.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$909 NZ$1,588

16.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,772 NZ$4,846

-75.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

173.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $909 in Canterbury. 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 309% higher in Canterbury, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $63.0 in Canterbury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $324 – 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 Canterbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $932 in Canterbury – roughly 80% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,398 in Canterbury. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $63.0 in Canterbury. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Canterbury, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Canterbury it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $932 in Canterbury to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Canterbury. 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.