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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $531 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,183 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,834 in Madang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 94% more than Madang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Madang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Madang 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.81 PGK 29.95

-9.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$38.42 PGK 169

-15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.63 PGK 46.76

-30.95%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.46 PGK 10.83

-30.08%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.19 PGK 5.22

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.76 PGK 3.33

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.92 PGK 12.87

-42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.36 PGK 19.21

-27.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.97 PGK 8.65

-46.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.47 PGK 6.46

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.41 PGK 6.20

-0.71%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.40 PGK 14.97

-36.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.60 PGK 24.66

5.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.37 PGK 36.85

3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$5.23 PGK 23.02

-56.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.43 PGK 10.70

-54.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.00 PGK 4.39

53.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.89 PGK 8.30

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$4.78 PGK 21.03

-76.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.94 PGK 12.96

-61.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$5.96 PGK 26.23

-85.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.50 PGK 2.21

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.17 PGK 22.75

-54.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.11 PGK 9.28

-43.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.38 PGK 10.46

4.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.07 PGK 4.70

-7.48%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$68.4 PGK 301

18.16%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$24.39 PGK 107

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$80.1 PGK 353

280.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,952 PGK 26.2K

1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$19.02 PGK 83.7

205.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$14.14 PGK 62.2

127.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$67.2 PGK 296

49.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$28.64 PGK 126

276.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$942 PGK 4,147

-10.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$604 PGK 2,658

20.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 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 12, 2026

Last update for Madang: July 11, 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: $193 vs $226 – 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 94% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $797 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 17% 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 $531, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $531 versus $1,031 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.