Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lihir Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lihir Island

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $246 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $456 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $667 in Lihir Island, rent included.

Medellin costs about 321% more than Lihir Island, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Lihir Island are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Lihir Island 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.75 PGK 20.61

24.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$28.49 PGK 124

14.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.90 PGK 25.63

22.03%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.42 PGK 10.51

-29.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.70 PGK 3.02

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.70 PGK 3.06

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.64 PGK 15.81

-54.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.41 PGK 10.46

28.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.65 PGK 7.16

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.46 PGK 6.36

-14.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.47 PGK 6.37

-5.44%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.32 PGK 10.09

-2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.37 PGK 18.96

33.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$2.36 PGK 10.26

274.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.43 PGK 6.20

-24.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.43 PGK 10.53

-53.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.94 PGK 4.06

19.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.50 PGK 2.18

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.87 PGK 25.49

-60.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.29 PGK 40.32

19.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.39 PGK 10.36

-50.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.43 PGK 10.54

-2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lihir Island: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Lihir Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $134 – making Lihir Island 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 Lihir Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $246 in Lihir Island – roughly 321% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $369 in Lihir Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Lihir Island. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $246 in Lihir Island. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lihir Island, where all-in costs run around $246, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Lihir Island it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $246 in Lihir Island to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Lihir Island. 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.