Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pietermaritzburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pietermaritzburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,061 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,607 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,153 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Pietermaritzburg are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Pietermaritzburg 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.32 R 135

-28.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$42.99 R 699

-23.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.76 R 93.6

23.09%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.24 R 36.35

-23.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.88 R 14.31

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.69 R 11.20

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.67 R 27.13

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.35 R 38.12

30.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.05 R 17.04

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.80 R 13.06

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.50 R 24.33

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.35 R 38.19

-6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.99 R 114

-37.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.71 R 76.5

19.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.82 R 111

30.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.66 R 26.91

40.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.76 R 28.61

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.94 R 31.58

-22.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.74 R 28.20

-20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.54 R 25.11

-25.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.76 R 28.64

-34.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.30 R 21.06

-31.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.00 R 16.19

-16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.93 R 47.55

-22.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$3.55 R 57.6

199.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.43 R 23.27

-16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.78 R 28.92

38.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$2.73 R 44.44

-68.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$18.34 R 298

125.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.69 R 27.48

-13.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.52 R 8.49

276.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.98 R 64.7

94.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.20 R 19.47

-20.83%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$23.4K R 380.4K

-22.54%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.9K R 371.7K

15.79%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$238 R 3,861

-65.39%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$30.61 R 497

-68.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$58.3 R 948

-58.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$38.05 R 618

-31.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.94 R 80.3

-20.45%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$148 R 2,401

109.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,723 R 76.8K

26.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$62.2 R 1,011

-5.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$37.81 R 615

-14.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$178 R 2,885

-42.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$75.4 R 1,226

43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$202 R 3,280

135.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$184 R 2,986

106.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$523 R 8,492

60.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$379 R 6,161

90.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$916 R 14.9K

204.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$442 R 7,187

173.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$919 R 14.9K

-44.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.5

16.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $202 in Pietermaritzburg. 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 80% higher in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $177 in Pietermaritzburg – so Pietermaritzburg 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 Pietermaritzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pietermaritzburg is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,591 in Pietermaritzburg. 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,061 in Pietermaritzburg. 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 $1,013, than in Pietermaritzburg at $1,061. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pietermaritzburg 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, Pietermaritzburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.