Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Madang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Madang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $526 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,166 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,805 in Madang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 93% more than Madang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Madang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Madang 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.70 PGK 29.13

-10.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$37.78 PGK 164

-13.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.97 PGK 47.70

-35.37%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.35 PGK 10.20

-27.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.23 PGK 5.37

-10.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.70 PGK 3.05

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.91 PGK 12.64

-42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.39 PGK 19.09

-30.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.88 PGK 8.20

-42.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.45 PGK 6.31

-13.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.41 PGK 6.12

-2.13%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.34 PGK 14.51

-34.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.71 PGK 24.83

-1.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.14 PGK 35.39

9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$5.15 PGK 22.42

-54.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.38 PGK 10.36

-55.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.99 PGK 4.30

51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.97 PGK 8.58

-29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$4.88 PGK 21.24

-76.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.82 PGK 12.25

-58.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$5.91 PGK 25.69

-84.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.47 PGK 2.03

78.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$5.08 PGK 22.09

-55.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.13 PGK 9.28

-43.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.47 PGK 10.72

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.11 PGK 4.81

-14.41%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$67.8 PGK 295

21.26%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$24.17 PGK 105

0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$78.9 PGK 343

292.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,046 PGK 26.3K

-1.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$19.45 PGK 84.6

201.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$14.56 PGK 63.3

122.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$66.1 PGK 287

55.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$29.07 PGK 126

273.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$957 PGK 4,163

-12.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$611 PGK 2,656

18.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Madang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Madang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $224 – 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 Madang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 93% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $789 in Madang. 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 $38.00 in Madang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madang, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Madang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madang costs $526 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Madang. 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.