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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $233 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $428 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $623 in Lihir Island, rent included.

Medellin costs about 331% more than Lihir Island, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Lihir Island are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Lihir Island 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.86 PGK 21.44

21.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$28.36 PGK 125

16.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.18 PGK 27.27

20.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.43 PGK 10.72

-32.10%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.75 PGK 3.30

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.73 PGK 3.22

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.63 PGK 16.00

-52.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.45 PGK 10.80

29.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.73 PGK 7.63

-36.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.42 PGK 6.26

-11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.48 PGK 6.52

-6.76%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.31 PGK 10.20

-5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.21 PGK 18.56

37.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$2.33 PGK 10.28

284.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.46 PGK 6.46

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.44 PGK 10.78

-53.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.98 PGK 4.32

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.50 PGK 2.22

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.98 PGK 26.38

-62.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.35 PGK 10.37

-49.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.43 PGK 10.70

2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lihir Island: July 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: $193 vs $115 – 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $233 in Lihir Island – roughly 331% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 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 $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 $1,003 in Medellin and $233 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 $233, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $233 in Lihir Island to $1,003 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.