Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gisborne Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gisborne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,966 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,933 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $3,901 in Gisborne.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 48% less than in Gisborne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Gisborne is 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.6K

$15.15 NZ$25.96

-60.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 115.1K

$78.9 NZ$135

-57.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.0K

$9.56 NZ$16.39

-24.37%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,629

$3.39 NZ$5.81

-51.92%

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

$1.09 COP 3,782

$2.35 NZ$4.02

-53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,522

$2.01 NZ$3.44

-63.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,003

$7.26 NZ$12.44

-76.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.2K

$6.22 NZ$10.65

-48.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,625

$1.88 NZ$3.23

-44.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,469

$2.00 NZ$3.43

-35.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,570

$1.82 NZ$3.12

-27.47%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,846

$5.97 NZ$10.23

-61.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.0K

$8.06 NZ$13.82

-46.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.3K

$9.67 NZ$16.57

-39.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 29.7K

$12.80 NZ$21.93

-32.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,763

$2.68 NZ$4.60

-16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,695

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-52.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,267

$3.00 NZ$5.14

-49.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,914

$4.48 NZ$7.68

-68.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,042

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,035

$1.88 NZ$3.23

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,064

$2.27 NZ$3.90

-60.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,114

$1.11 NZ$1.90

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,757

$24.22 NZ$41.50

-90.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.1K

$9.10 NZ$15.60

21.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,936

$2.47 NZ$4.23

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,216

$3.73 NZ$6.39

-36.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,886

$2.13 NZ$3.65

-60.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 144.9K

$64.6 NZ$111

-35.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,861

$2.76 NZ$4.72

-48.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,567

$1.87 NZ$3.20

1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 26.8K

$34.89 NZ$59.8

-77.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,473

$1.66 NZ$2.84

-39.16%

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

$17.6K COP 60.7M

$28.8K NZ$49.4K

-39.06%

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

$26.5K COP 91.5M

$21.9K NZ$37.5K

20.93%

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

$83.7 COP 289.1K

$143 NZ$245

-41.58%

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

$9.45 COP 32.6K

$36.09 NZ$61.8

-73.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 83.3K

$52.6 NZ$90.2

-54.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 87.4K

$37.50 NZ$64.3

-32.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.1K

$12.12 NZ$20.77

57.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.2K

$10.79 NZ$18.50

-62.00%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$734 NZ$1,258

-57.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.7M

$11.8K NZ$20.3K

-49.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 200.5K

$67.9 NZ$116

-14.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 112.5K

$37.62 NZ$64.5

-13.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 344.1K

$93.9 NZ$161

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 375.0K

$115 NZ$198

-5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$977 NZ$1,675

-50.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$881 NZ$1,510

-56.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,450 NZ$2,484

-42.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,340 NZ$2,297

-46.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.8M

$4,556 NZ$7,808

-37.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.2M

$3,177 NZ$5,445

-61.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$4,443 NZ$7,614

-87.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.74

99.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $977 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 722% 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 $79.0 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $313 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 Gisborne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gisborne earns 722% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $977 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,966 in Gisborne – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 54% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,966 in Gisborne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Gisborne. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gisborne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Gisborne 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 93% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.