Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,930 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $2,859 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $3,787 in Dunedin.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 11% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 25% above, Dunedin 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$15.02 NZ$25.66

-46.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

$64.0 NZ$109

-24.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$11.90 NZ$20.34

-17.90%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$3.39 NZ$5.79

-14.16%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

$2.21 NZ$3.78

-12.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

$2.15 NZ$3.68

-29.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

$7.24 NZ$12.37

-57.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$6.64 NZ$11.34

-13.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$2.22 NZ$3.80

-38.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$2.01 NZ$3.44

18.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$1.78 NZ$3.05

-4.49%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$5.96 NZ$10.18

-51.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

$9.00 NZ$15.38

10.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$9.78 NZ$16.70

10.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

$17.43 NZ$29.78

-15.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$3.06 NZ$5.23

33.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-34.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

$3.42 NZ$5.84

-37.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$5.32 NZ$9.09

-58.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$2.00 NZ$3.41

2.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$1.93 NZ$3.30

-22.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$2.51 NZ$4.29

-52.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$0.59 NZ$1.01

96.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$22.07 NZ$37.71

-82.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

$9.64 NZ$16.47

49.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

$3.30 NZ$5.63

-52.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

$1.25 NZ$2.14

126.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

$1.21 NZ$2.07

-3.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

$70.7 NZ$121

10.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$5.94 NZ$10.15

-78.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$29.41 NZ$50.3

-70.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$1.77 NZ$3.03

-26.55%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

$26.2K NZ$44.7K

5.73%

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

$26.3K NZ$44.9K

35.24%

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

$176 COP 554.5K

$116 NZ$198

52.11%

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

$29.62 NZ$50.6

-54.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

$53.8 NZ$91.8

-44.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

$50.7 NZ$86.7

-11.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$10.66 NZ$18.21

-41.84%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$616 NZ$1,052

28.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

$61.9 NZ$106

38.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

$37.56 NZ$64.2

55.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

$95.5 NZ$163

42.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

$143 NZ$245

-28.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$910 NZ$1,554

16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$804 NZ$1,374

-15.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,579 NZ$2,698

27.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,218 NZ$2,082

-4.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$2,313 NZ$3,952

-26.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$2,574 NZ$4,397

-74.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.07

54.74%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $910 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 287% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $64.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $337 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Dunedin differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,716 vs $1,930 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 287% lower in Dunedin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,060 in Medellin versus $910 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 10% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $793 in Medellin versus $616 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,930 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Dunedin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.