Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karratha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karratha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $2,750 in Karratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $3,929 in Karratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $5,109 in Karratha, rent included.

Medellin is about 40% cheaper than Karratha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Karratha sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Karratha by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$30.86 A$42.73

-73.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$86.4 A$120

-44.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$10.15 A$14.05

-7.19%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$4.08 A$5.64

-27.94%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$3.40 A$4.70

-45.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$2.58 A$3.57

-43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$8.08 A$11.19

-60.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$7.38 A$10.21

-22.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$1.70 A$2.35

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$2.79 A$3.86

-13.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

$2.32 A$3.21

-26.72%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$5.17 A$7.16

-44.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$9.38 A$12.99

7.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$9.69 A$13.41

2.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$14.86 A$20.57

-4.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$3.58 A$4.96

11.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

$3.19 A$4.41

-50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

$3.40 A$4.70

-36.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

$4.76 A$6.59

-51.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

$2.64 A$3.65

-24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

$2.42 A$3.35

-37.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

$2.43 A$3.37

-50.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

$1.61 A$2.23

-20.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$39.80 A$55.1

-90.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$14.38 A$19.91

-2.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

$5.02 A$6.95

-65.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$5.29 A$7.32

-48.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

$3.15 A$4.37

-60.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

$87.6 A$121

-11.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

$3.65 A$5.05

-64.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

$1.62 A$2.24

33.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

$40.59 A$56.2

-79.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

$1.26 A$1.74

7.94%

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

$28.5K A$39.5K

-3.64%

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

$31.4K A$43.4K

16.54%

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$210 A$291

-19.78%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$28.18 A$39.01

-51.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$58.2 A$80.6

-51.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

$58.5 A$80.9

-21.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

$18.66 A$25.83

-7.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$15.66 A$21.69

-57.54%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$2,193 A$3,037

-63.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$21.3K A$29.4K

-56.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

$79.3 A$110

10.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

$55.2 A$76.4

7.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$112 A$156

23.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

$125 A$174

-18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,481 A$2,050

-27.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,297 A$1,795

-49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$2,256 A$3,124

-14.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$1,848 A$2,559

-43.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$6,761 A$9,361

-39.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$5,120 A$7,089

-66.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.85

87.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Karratha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,481 in Karratha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $86.0 in Karratha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $377 – 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 Karratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,641 in Medellin, $2,750 in Karratha – roughly 68% apart. Karratha costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $4,124 in Karratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $2,750 in Karratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Karratha at $2,750. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karratha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,641 in Medellin to $2,750 in Karratha. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karratha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.