Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and New Plymouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and New Plymouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,954 in New Plymouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $3,039 in New Plymouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $4,123 in New Plymouth, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than New Plymouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and New Plymouth sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, New Plymouth by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.1K

$14.90 NZ$25.33

-46.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 150.7K

$70.0 NZ$119

-30.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.4K

$10.42 NZ$17.71

-9.60%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,169

$3.51 NZ$5.97

-16.24%

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

$1.86 COP 5,817

$2.24 NZ$3.81

-16.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,543

$1.93 NZ$3.28

-24.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 10.0K

$5.33 NZ$9.07

-39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.8K

$6.00 NZ$10.20

-4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,491

$1.88 NZ$3.19

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,494

$1.66 NZ$2.82

44.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,302

$1.73 NZ$2.94

-1.73%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,022

$6.77 NZ$11.51

-57.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.4K

$7.41 NZ$12.59

35.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.1K

$12.89 NZ$21.91

-22.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.3K

$12.21 NZ$20.75

16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$2.72 NZ$4.62

46.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,947

$1.98 NZ$3.36

-20.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,718

$3.21 NZ$5.46

-33.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,178

$6.60 NZ$11.23

-65.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,257

$2.53 NZ$4.31

-20.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.47 NZ$2.50

2.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,754

$1.95 NZ$3.32

-38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 4,002

$1.32 NZ$2.25

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 12.0K

$23.53 NZ$39.99

-83.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.57 NZ$14.57

63.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,331

$3.08 NZ$5.24

-44.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,560

$3.95 NZ$6.71

-30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,888

$1.78 NZ$3.03

-29.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 243.1K

$77.5 NZ$132

0.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,073

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,775

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,231

$1.76 NZ$2.99

-22.73%

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

$27.5K COP 85.7M

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

-40.69%

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

$36.5K COP 114.0M

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

46.74%

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

$169 COP 526.6K

$131 NZ$223

28.70%

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

$13.57 COP 42.4K

$29.98 NZ$51.0

-54.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 88.4K

$49.00 NZ$83.3

-42.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 142.7K

$44.22 NZ$75.2

3.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.8K

$8.56 NZ$14.56

-22.31%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 272.7K

$86.9 NZ$148

0.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 185.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 433.6K

$92.9 NZ$158

49.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.5K

$118 NZ$200

-13.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$947 NZ$1,609

13.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$868 NZ$1,475

-24.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$1,800 NZ$3,060

6.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$1,640 NZ$2,788

-36.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.9M

$3,393 NZ$5,767

21.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$2,739 NZ$4,655

-38.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$2,889 NZ$4,911

-77.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.93

84.49%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $947 in New Plymouth. 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 341% higher in New Plymouth, 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 $70.0 in New Plymouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $339 – 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 New Plymouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New Plymouth is pricier by about 19%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,931 in New Plymouth. 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 1% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 13% more in New Plymouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in New Plymouth at $1,954. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Plymouth 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, New Plymouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.