Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Invercargill Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Invercargill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,478 in Invercargill, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,199 in Invercargill, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,919 in Invercargill, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Invercargill, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Invercargill sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Invercargill by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$14.99 NZ$25.18

-47.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$64.4 NZ$108

-30.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$8.83 NZ$14.83

5.21%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.20 NZ$5.38

-9.38%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.81 NZ$3.04

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$2.34 NZ$3.93

-33.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.93 NZ$4.92

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.99 NZ$5.03

96.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.77 NZ$2.97

-22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.74 NZ$2.91

40.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.84 NZ$3.10

-17.93%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$5.89 NZ$9.90

-52.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.02 NZ$13.47

12.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$8.84 NZ$14.84

20.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$12.78 NZ$21.47

14.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.70 NZ$4.53

47.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.43 NZ$4.08

-43.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.74 NZ$4.60

-16.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$3.55 NZ$5.96

-43.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$3.39 NZ$5.70

-38.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.69 NZ$2.84

-3.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.46 NZ$4.12

-56.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.15 NZ$1.93

8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$18.44 NZ$30.97

-78.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$8.93 NZ$15.00

50.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$3.13 NZ$5.26

-48.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.63 NZ$6.10

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.57 NZ$2.64

-24.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.39 NZ$4.02

-32.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.97 NZ$3.30

8.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$29.37 NZ$49.33

-70.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.63 NZ$2.73

-17.18%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$25.1K NZ$42.2K

12.76%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.4K NZ$32.5K

84.38%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$101 NZ$169

50.28%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$33.12 NZ$55.6

-60.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$44.53 NZ$74.8

-27.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$28.43 NZ$47.74

62.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$14.90 NZ$25.03

15.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$9.39 NZ$15.77

-31.52%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$620 NZ$1,042

34.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$59.8 NZ$100

49.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$37.61 NZ$63.2

47.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$74.8 NZ$126

82.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$82.3 NZ$138

32.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$626 NZ$1,052

52.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$568 NZ$953

17.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$865 NZ$1,452

133.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$797 NZ$1,339

44.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$5,834 NZ$9,797

-36.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$5,244 NZ$8,806

-69.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$2,903 NZ$4,875

-78.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.72

55.21%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Invercargill: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $626 in Invercargill. 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 364% higher in Invercargill, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $64.0 in Invercargill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $307 – 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 Invercargill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 14% more than Invercargill, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,218 in Invercargill. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $1,478 in Invercargill. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $620 in Invercargill. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Invercargill, where all-in costs run around $1,478, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Invercargill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Invercargill costs $1,478 versus $1,687 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Invercargill. 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.