Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Northam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Northam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Medellin vs $2,494 in Northam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,460 per month in Medellin vs $3,608 in Northam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Medellin vs $4,721 in Northam, rent included.

Medellin is about 35% cheaper than Northam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Northam sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Northam by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.6K

$19.92 A$28.26

-61.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 138.2K

$85.3 A$121

-49.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.4K

$10.68 A$15.15

-11.05%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,973

$4.19 A$5.94

-32.94%

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

$1.84 COP 5,862

$2.79 A$3.96

-34.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,813

$2.20 A$3.12

-31.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,849

$8.54 A$12.12

-63.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.5K

$8.45 A$11.99

-35.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,293

$1.70 A$2.42

-21.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,363

$2.50 A$3.55

-7.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,692

$2.09 A$2.96

-29.67%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,583

$4.52 A$6.41

-40.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.3K

$6.37 A$9.04

39.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 34.0K

$9.10 A$12.91

16.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 46.2K

$13.88 A$19.69

4.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.0K

$2.75 A$3.90

36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,429

$3.25 A$4.61

-57.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,096

$3.21 A$4.55

-30.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,324

$5.40 A$7.67

-63.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,562

$2.81 A$3.98

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,109

$1.89 A$2.69

-15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,327

$2.24 A$3.17

-53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,052

$0.73 A$1.04

73.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 12.0K

$40.62 A$57.6

-90.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.8K

$3.42 A$4.85

283.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,035

$4.22 A$5.98

-62.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,642

$3.54 A$5.02

-14.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,730

$2.74 A$3.89

-57.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 242.6K

$85.6 A$121

-11.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,800

$3.58 A$5.08

-58.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,662

$1.42 A$2.01

47.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.9K

$40.96 A$58.1

-80.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 4,032

$1.31 A$1.86

-3.82%

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

$26.9K COP 85.9M

$27.8K A$39.5K

-3.33%

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

$34.9K COP 111.4M

$30.2K A$42.8K

15.52%

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

$148 COP 473.7K

$198 A$281

-25.06%

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

$13.03 COP 41.6K

$24.36 A$34.55

-46.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 100.5K

$61.4 A$87.1

-48.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 145.3K

$51.8 A$73.4

-12.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 54.3K

$19.31 A$27.40

-11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 20.2K

$17.41 A$24.70

-63.70%

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

$837 COP 2.7M

$2,254 A$3,198

-62.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.7M

$23.4K A$33.2K

-62.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 283.6K

$76.9 A$109

15.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 175.4K

$65.5 A$92.9

-16.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 429.5K

$118 A$167

13.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.9K

$157 A$223

-30.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$1,312 A$1,861

-28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$1,088 A$1,544

-40.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.2M

$2,257 A$3,202

-14.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.6M

$1,809 A$2,566

-37.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.6M

$6,055 A$8,589

-39.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 5.0M

$4,568 A$6,480

-66.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.96

75.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Northam: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Medellin versus $1,312 in Northam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Medellin versus $85.0 in Northam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $313 – 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 Northam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Northam is pricier by about 54%, 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 $2,427 per month in Medellin and $3,741 in Northam. 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 $43.00 in Medellin and $85.0 in Northam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,618 in Medellin and $2,494 in Northam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,618, than in Northam at $2,494. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Northam 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, Northam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.