Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maroochydore Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maroochydore

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,410 in Maroochydore, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,666 in Maroochydore, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,922 in Maroochydore, rent included.

Medellin is about 30% cheaper than Maroochydore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Maroochydore sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Maroochydore by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.17 A$19.99

-43.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$94.8 A$134

-49.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.26 A$13.05

6.80%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.98 A$5.62

-21.36%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.73 A$3.85

-30.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.08 A$2.94

-27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.34 A$6.12

-28.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.95 A$11.21

-27.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.64 A$2.31

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.69 A$3.79

-7.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.37 A$3.34

-25.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.84 A$6.82

-38.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.18 A$12.95

9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.52 A$13.42

6.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$15.19 A$21.42

-5.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.79 A$5.34

9.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.11 A$4.38

-48.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.73 A$3.85

-17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.83 A$5.40

-41.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.65 A$3.73

-23.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.24 A$3.16

-31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.57 A$3.62

-54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.46 A$3.46

-46.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$25.22 A$35.57

-84.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.87 A$15.33

28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$5.91 A$8.34

-70.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$6.04 A$8.52

-52.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.68 A$0.96

79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$78.2 A$110

2.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.05 A$2.90

-36.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.50 A$2.12

46.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$37.28 A$52.6

-76.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.30 A$1.83

5.38%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$27.4K A$38.6K

1.72%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$24.1K A$34.0K

48.36%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$219 A$309

-19.15%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$30.65 A$43.23

-54.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$55.1 A$77.7

-46.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$58.6 A$82.7

-23.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$17.96 A$25.32

-4.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$13.60 A$19.18

-51.10%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$2,184 A$3,080

-62.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$12.3K A$17.4K

-25.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$78.5 A$111

13.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$55.4 A$78.1

6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$108 A$152

28.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$123 A$174

-17.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,214 A$1,712

-12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,159 A$1,634

-42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,090 A$2,947

-9.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,091 A$2,949

-50.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$6,244 A$8,806

-33.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$6,324 A$8,919

-73.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,884 A$4,067

-76.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.73

90.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Maroochydore: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,214 in Maroochydore. 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 326% higher in Maroochydore, 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 $95.0 in Maroochydore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $376 – 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 Maroochydore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $2,410 in Maroochydore – roughly 43% apart. Maroochydore 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 $3,616 in Maroochydore. 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.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $2,184 in Maroochydore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Maroochydore at $2,410. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maroochydore 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 $2,410 in Maroochydore. 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, Maroochydore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.