Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Noumea Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Noumea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,390 in Noumea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $3,715 in Noumea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $5,040 in Noumea, rent included.

Medellin is about 57% cheaper than Noumea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Noumea is 79% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$14.65 CFPF 1,526

-57.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$97.1 CFPF 10.1K

-66.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$14.64 CFPF 1,525

-49.86%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.98 CFPF 623

-71.24%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.45 CFPF 255

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.10 CFPF 115

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$11.29 CFPF 1,176

-85.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.67 CFPF 799

-58.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.23 CFPF 128

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.08 CFPF 321

-57.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.98 CFPF 206

-29.29%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$5.76 CFPF 600

-62.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$19.01 CFPF 1,980

-76.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$22.21 CFPF 2,313

-73.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$25.41 CFPF 2,647

-66.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.33 CFPF 451

-47.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$7.29 CFPF 759

-84.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$6.63 CFPF 691

-76.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$7.09 CFPF 738

-80.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.82 CFPF 397

-70.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.31 CFPF 345

-65.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.96 CFPF 309

-71.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.50 CFPF 156

-39.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$20.47 CFPF 2,132

-88.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$17.10 CFPF 1,781

-27.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$5.21 CFPF 542

-76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$6.32 CFPF 658

-60.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.92 CFPF 304

-71.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$63.5 CFPF 6,613

-36.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$5.37 CFPF 559

-73.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.01 CFPF 105

90.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$24.88 CFPF 2,591

-69.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.61 CFPF 168

-38.51%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.4K CFPF 3.6M

-47.55%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$39.5K CFPF 4.1M

-32.55%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$208 CFPF 21.6K

-61.11%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$40.53 CFPF 4,221

-75.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$58.0 CFPF 6,038

-58.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$61.8 CFPF 6,435

-59.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.85 CFPF 818

143.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$12.77 CFPF 1,330

-68.83%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$783 CFPF 81.5K

-61.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$113 CFPF 11.8K

-48.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$57.0 CFPF 5,941

-43.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$126 CFPF 13.1K

-19.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$238 CFPF 24.8K

-54.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$805 CFPF 83.9K

-40.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$794 CFPF 82.7K

-52.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,591 CFPF 165.7K

-46.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,335 CFPF 139.0K

-45.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,854 CFPF 505.5K

-33.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,511 CFPF 365.7K

-60.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,719 CFPF 283.2K

-77.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.33

476.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Noumea: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $805 in Noumea. 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 Noumea, 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 $97.0 in Noumea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $567 – 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 Noumea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Noumea is pricier by about 132%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $3,584 in Noumea. 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 $97.0 in Noumea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $2,390 in Noumea. 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 $1,031, than in Noumea at $2,390. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noumea 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.

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