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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,857 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,803 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $3,748 in Dunedin.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 44% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Dunedin is 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.97 NZ$20.49

-48.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$71.7 NZ$123

-54.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.05 NZ$18.92

-33.57%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.46 NZ$5.92

-50.29%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.20 NZ$3.77

-52.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.04 NZ$3.50

-62.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$7.21 NZ$12.34

-76.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.86 NZ$10.04

-45.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.07 NZ$3.55

-49.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.99 NZ$3.41

-34.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.88 NZ$3.22

-25.53%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$5.71 NZ$9.78

-62.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.44 NZ$14.46

-47.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$10.71 NZ$18.33

-45.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.14 NZ$22.50

-34.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.90 NZ$4.96

-21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.24 NZ$3.84

-50.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.44 NZ$5.88

-55.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.47 NZ$7.65

-69.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.98 NZ$3.39

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.98 NZ$3.39

-42.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.54 NZ$4.35

-66.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.10 NZ$1.89

-17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$24.44 NZ$41.84

-90.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.76 NZ$14.99

41.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.58 NZ$4.41

-53.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.66 NZ$6.27

-31.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$1.20 NZ$2.05

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$72.9 NZ$125

-44.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.10 NZ$10.45

-76.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.13 NZ$1.94

69.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$30.14 NZ$51.6

-74.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.65 NZ$2.82

-40.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.7K NZ$33.7K

-8.33%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.2K NZ$43.2K

5.49%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$102 NZ$175

-20.99%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$36.07 NZ$61.8

-72.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$54.4 NZ$93.2

-55.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$52.1 NZ$89.1

-51.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.20 NZ$10.62

208.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.56 NZ$16.37

-58.37%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$584 NZ$1,000

-47.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

-49.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$66.7 NZ$114

-12.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.81 NZ$61.3

-10.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$96.8 NZ$166

4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$122 NZ$209

-11.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$895 NZ$1,533

-46.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$776 NZ$1,328

-51.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,524 NZ$2,609

-44.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,307 NZ$2,239

-44.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,229 NZ$3,816

-38.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,522 NZ$4,318

-75.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.07

89.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $895 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 309% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $72.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $324 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 80% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,857 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 309% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $895 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 80% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $584 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,857 in Dunedin, a $1,500 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 80% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.