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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,592 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,133 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Pietermaritzburg are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pietermaritzburg 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.92 R 131

-22.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$43.07 R 711

-24.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.57 R 92.0

31.78%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.14 R 35.27

-19.63%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.93 R 15.28

12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.70 R 11.56

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.64 R 26.98

3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.42 R 39.96

30.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.04 R 17.20

0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.82 R 13.51

58.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.52 R 25.05

-7.89%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.28 R 37.58

-5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.26 R 120

-39.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.66 R 76.9

26.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.06 R 117

22.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.60 R 26.33

42.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.69 R 27.85

-34.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.93 R 31.82

-20.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.73 R 28.58

-21.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.53 R 25.20

-26.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.75 R 28.88

-35.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.23 R 20.38

-30.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.91 R 14.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.89 R 47.71

-19.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.02 R 66.3

207.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.40 R 23.08

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.78 R 29.38

39.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.64 R 43.62

-68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$18.28 R 302

121.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.71 R 28.16

-16.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.52 R 8.61

269.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.13 R 68.1

85.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.21 R 20.04

-18.18%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.7K R 391.0K

-23.90%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.8K R 376.9K

16.59%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$232 R 3,822

-65.10%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$30.00 R 495

-66.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$58.2 R 960

-58.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.55 R 636

-34.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.11 R 84.3

-22.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$151 R 2,489

102.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,784 R 78.9K

26.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$62.6 R 1,033

-7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$38.00 R 627

-15.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$180 R 2,967

-43.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$74.3 R 1,226

45.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$205 R 3,383

132.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$188 R 3,105

99.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$511 R 8,438

65.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$383 R 6,319

90.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,624 R 59.8K

-11.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$447 R 7,383

206.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,071 R 17.7K

-42.38%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $205 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 74% 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 – $193 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 2%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,578 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,052 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 $1,031, than in Pietermaritzburg at $1,052. 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.