Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manukau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manukau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,989 in Manukau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,995 in Manukau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,001 in Manukau, rent included.

Medellin is about 15% cheaper than Manukau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Manukau sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Manukau by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.50 NZ$25.35

-44.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$69.5 NZ$121

-31.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.61 NZ$15.06

14.87%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.48 NZ$6.08

-10.06%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.09 NZ$3.65

-8.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.81 NZ$3.17

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$7.20 NZ$12.59

-56.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.84 NZ$11.96

-15.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.89 NZ$3.30

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.21 NZ$3.86

12.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.95 NZ$3.40

-9.23%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.53 NZ$7.93

-34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.80 NZ$15.39

14.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$10.05 NZ$17.57

0.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$17.63 NZ$30.82

-18.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.90 NZ$5.07

42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.16 NZ$3.77

-25.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.12 NZ$5.45

-27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$5.53 NZ$9.66

-59.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.00 NZ$1.75

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.66 NZ$2.91

-7.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.98 NZ$3.46

-40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.13 NZ$1.97

15.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$28.23 NZ$49.36

-86.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.40 NZ$18.19

34.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.79 NZ$4.88

-37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.38 NZ$5.91

-15.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.75 NZ$3.05

-30.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$91.1 NZ$159

-11.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.26 NZ$3.95

-42.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.97 NZ$3.44

11.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$33.32 NZ$58.2

-73.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.65 NZ$2.88

-16.97%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$26.3K NZ$46.1K

5.67%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$23.1K NZ$40.4K

54.71%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$185 NZ$324

-4.34%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$27.84 NZ$48.67

-50.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$50.9 NZ$88.9

-41.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$37.56 NZ$65.7

19.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$13.33 NZ$23.30

-50.11%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$1,148 NZ$2,007

-29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$19.9K NZ$34.8K

-53.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$81.2 NZ$142

10.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$40.73 NZ$71.2

44.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$68.0 NZ$119

103.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$113 NZ$198

-9.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$932 NZ$1,629

13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$844 NZ$1,476

-21.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,683 NZ$2,943

12.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,518 NZ$2,654

-32.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$4,525 NZ$7,910

-7.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$3,558 NZ$6,220

-52.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,807 NZ$3,159

-62.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.4

102.59%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Manukau: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $932 in Manukau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 167% higher in Manukau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $69.0 in Manukau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $333 – 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 Manukau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,989 in Manukau – roughly 18% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,983 in Manukau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Manukau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $69.0 in Manukau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Manukau at $1,989. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manukau 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $1,989 in Manukau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manukau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.