Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Palmerston North Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Palmerston North

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,631 in Palmerston North, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,689 in Palmerston North, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,747 in Palmerston North, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Palmerston North, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Palmerston North sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Palmerston North by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$14.30 NZ$24.30

-43.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$69.2 NZ$118

-30.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$9.49 NZ$16.13

2.95%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$3.42 NZ$5.82

-14.91%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.45 NZ$4.17

-20.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$1.84 NZ$3.12

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$6.69 NZ$11.36

-53.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$7.13 NZ$12.12

-19.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.96 NZ$3.33

-30.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$2.31 NZ$3.92

3.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.40 NZ$2.38

21.43%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$5.38 NZ$9.14

-46.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$7.06 NZ$12.00

40.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$10.10 NZ$17.16

6.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$11.22 NZ$19.06

31.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.65 NZ$4.50

54.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.26 NZ$3.85

-30.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.30 NZ$3.91

-7.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$5.93 NZ$10.08

-62.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.52 NZ$2.58

34.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.91 NZ$1.55

64.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.74 NZ$2.96

-31.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.75 NZ$1.27

54.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$23.85 NZ$40.51

-83.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$8.53 NZ$14.48

69.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$2.91 NZ$4.94

-45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.91 NZ$4.94

-2.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$4.22 NZ$7.17

-72.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$85.5 NZ$145

-9.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.96 NZ$3.33

-34.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.86 NZ$3.17

12.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$17.77 NZ$30.19

-51.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.73 NZ$2.94

-24.86%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$22.9K NZ$39.0K

20.55%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$25.5K NZ$43.3K

39.15%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$73.0 NZ$124

141.13%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$33.34 NZ$56.6

-59.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$36.98 NZ$62.8

-19.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$23.56 NZ$40.02

89.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$14.88 NZ$25.27

14.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$12.33 NZ$20.94

-49.72%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$1,105 NZ$1,876

-28.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$8,727 NZ$14.8K

3.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$73.9 NZ$126

15.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$29.14 NZ$49.50

100.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$86.6 NZ$147

57.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$88.5 NZ$150

16.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$955 NZ$1,623

10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$665 NZ$1,129

2.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,655 NZ$2,811

21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,364 NZ$2,317

-14.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$2,196 NZ$3,731

87.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,927 NZ$3,273

-11.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$2,646 NZ$4,494

-74.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.39

102.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Palmerston North: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $955 in Palmerston North. 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 298% higher in Palmerston North, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $69.0 in Palmerston North. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $301 in Palmerston North – so Palmerston North wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Palmerston North: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,447 in Palmerston North. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palmerston North, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $69.0 in Palmerston North. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,631 in Palmerston North. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Palmerston North, where all-in costs run around $1,631, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Palmerston North it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palmerston North – 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 Palmerston North. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.