Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nelson Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nelson

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $2,007 in Nelson, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,033 in Nelson, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $4,058 in Nelson, rent included.

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Nelson, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Nelson is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$20.68 NZ$35.31

-71.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$84.0 NZ$143

-60.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.54 NZ$16.30

-24.21%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.35 NZ$5.73

-51.34%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.56 NZ$4.37

-57.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.69 NZ$4.60

-72.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$7.40 NZ$12.63

-76.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$6.13 NZ$10.47

-47.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.33 NZ$3.98

-54.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.22 NZ$3.79

-41.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.35 NZ$4.00

-43.83%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$6.19 NZ$10.56

-63.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.81 NZ$16.75

-55.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$8.15 NZ$13.92

-27.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$16.09 NZ$27.47

-46.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.66 NZ$6.25

-38.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.52 NZ$4.30

-57.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.99 NZ$5.10

-49.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$6.48 NZ$11.06

-78.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$3.75 NZ$6.40

-68.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.60 NZ$4.45

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.55 NZ$4.35

-65.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.23 NZ$2.09

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$30.09 NZ$51.4

-92.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.13 NZ$17.29

8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.21 NZ$5.47

-64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$4.44 NZ$7.58

-46.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$2.38 NZ$4.06

-64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$63.2 NZ$108

-33.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.19 NZ$7.16

-66.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.84 NZ$3.14

3.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$35.22 NZ$60.1

-78.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.73 NZ$2.96

-41.62%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$18.3K NZ$31.3K

-4.04%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.1K NZ$37.8K

19.63%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$215 NZ$367

-61.03%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$35.34 NZ$60.3

-73.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$50.7 NZ$86.7

-52.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$48.80 NZ$83.3

-48.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.26 NZ$36.30

-9.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$10.09 NZ$17.23

-59.37%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$487 NZ$832

-35.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$12.3K NZ$21.0K

-51.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$61.4 NZ$105

-5.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$66.6 NZ$114

-51.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$130 NZ$221

-23.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$110 NZ$188

-1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$995 NZ$1,699

-51.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$741 NZ$1,266

-48.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,427 NZ$2,436

-41.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,204 NZ$2,055

-39.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,771 NZ$6,439

-24.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$3,049 NZ$5,206

-59.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,360 NZ$4,030

-77.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.82

96.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nelson: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $995 in Nelson. 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 336% higher in Nelson, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $84.0 in Nelson. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $362 – 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 Nelson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nelson is pricier by about 97%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $3,011 in Nelson. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $84.0 in Nelson. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $2,007 in Nelson. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Nelson at $2,007. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nelson it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Nelson makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.