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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $232 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $427 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $622 in Lihir Island, rent included.

Medellin costs about 337% more than Lihir Island, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Lihir Island are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Lihir Island 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.71 PGK 20.22

26.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$29.29 PGK 126

13.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.85 PGK 25.13

23.59%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.36 PGK 10.14

-30.93%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.73 PGK 3.15

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.71 PGK 3.04

2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.65 PGK 15.66

-52.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.35 PGK 10.08

37.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.66 PGK 7.13

-36.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.42 PGK 6.09

-9.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.41 PGK 6.05

-6.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.27 PGK 9.77

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.38 PGK 18.83

34.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$2.42 PGK 10.40

255.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.41 PGK 6.04

-24.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.35 PGK 10.08

-50.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.92 PGK 3.94

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.46 PGK 1.96

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.01 PGK 25.83

-62.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.39 PGK 10.25

-52.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.38 PGK 10.22

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lihir Island: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Lihir Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $114 – 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $232 in Lihir Island – roughly 337% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $349 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 $29.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $232 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 $232, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $232 in Lihir Island to $1,017 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.