Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gisborne

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,029 in Gisborne, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in Gisborne
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Gisborne Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Gisborne

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,029

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Gisborne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Gisborne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,029 in Gisborne.

Medellin $1,639
Gisborne $2,029

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $3,006 in Gisborne.

Medellin $2,413
Gisborne $3,006

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $3,982 in Gisborne.

Medellin $3,186
Gisborne $3,982

Living in Medellin costs roughly 19% less than in Gisborne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Gisborne 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$28.96 NZ$51.5

-72.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$54.7 NZ$97.2

-13.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$9.04 NZ$16.08

5.09%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$3.54 NZ$6.29

-14.97%

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

$2.09 NZ$3.72

-13.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$2.03 NZ$3.62

-30.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$6.35 NZ$11.29

-49.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$5.81 NZ$10.33

-1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$1.84 NZ$3.27

-17.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

$2.02 NZ$3.59

17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$1.76 NZ$3.13

0.57%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$5.83 NZ$10.36

-50.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$8.50 NZ$15.10

19.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$9.22 NZ$16.40

7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

$14.35 NZ$25.50

-2.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$2.62 NZ$4.66

51.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

$2.27 NZ$4.04

-31.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

$3.07 NZ$5.46

-28.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

$5.67 NZ$10.08

-61.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

$2.01 NZ$3.56

-2.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

$1.44 NZ$2.57

10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

$2.23 NZ$3.96

-48.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

$1.10 NZ$1.96

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$21.32 NZ$37.90

-81.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$9.32 NZ$16.56

46.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

$3.44 NZ$6.11

-51.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

$3.35 NZ$5.95

-32.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

$1.73 NZ$3.07

-32.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

$99.1 NZ$176

-21.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

$2.50 NZ$4.44

-49.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

$1.78 NZ$3.17

15.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$33.82 NZ$60.1

-74.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$2.22 NZ$3.95

-39.19%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

$27.6K NZ$49.1K

23.37%

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$24.8K NZ$44.1K

39.68%

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

$170 COP 547.8K

$115 NZ$205

47.32%

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

$32.28 NZ$57.4

-58.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$49.02 NZ$87.1

-42.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

$39.98 NZ$71.1

9.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$11.04 NZ$19.62

-37.41%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$718 NZ$1,276

10.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$17.9K NZ$31.9K

-49.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

$53.8 NZ$95.6

57.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

$36.84 NZ$65.5

57.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

$88.2 NZ$157

53.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

$127 NZ$226

-22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$1,013 NZ$1,801

19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$830 NZ$1,475

-22.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$1,463 NZ$2,600

38.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$1,309 NZ$2,326

-22.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

$4,946 NZ$8,792

-15.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$3,203 NZ$5,694

-40.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.83

87.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Gisborne

$830 40.9% 29.4% $188

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Gisborne

$325 16% 9.3% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Gisborne

$196 9.7% 7% $15

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Gisborne

$361 17.8% 113% $192

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Gisborne

$138 6.8% 18.6% $31

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Gisborne

$117 5.8% 25.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Gisborne

$62 3.1% 7.9% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $1,013 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $55 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $325 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇳🇿 Gisborne

🕒 Local time

20:47 8:47 PM

14:47 2:47 PM

18 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

37,300

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

1 NZD = 0.563 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Between locations

Medellin Gisborne 11,860 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Gisborne

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gisborne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is about 19% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, utilities, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $3,044 in Gisborne to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,013 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $2,029 in Gisborne – Medellin is about 19% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 22% less than in Gisborne. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Medellin gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.