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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,600 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,129 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Medellin costs about 60% more than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Pietermaritzburg is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$7.92 R 126

1.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$37.51 R 598

28.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$5.78 R 92.2

69.03%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.44 R 38.96

19.26%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.21 R 19.29

60.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.02 R 16.33

49.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.33 R 37.23

32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.61 R 41.71

119.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.38 R 22.00

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.95 R 15.18

151.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.79 R 28.52

-5.03%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$3.33 R 53.1

-13.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$7.20 R 115

38.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.24 R 83.5

105.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$6.93 R 111

112.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.10 R 33.52

94.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$2.02 R 32.25

-22.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.40 R 38.32

-11.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.05 R 32.74

7.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.79 R 28.53

14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.81 R 28.91

-17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.59 R 25.34

-25.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$1.11 R 17.67

4.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.27 R 52.1

19.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$4.06 R 64.8

255.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.42 R 22.69

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.84 R 29.42

53.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$2.97 R 47.32

-60.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$19.96 R 318

289.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.71 R 27.20

-25.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$1.07 R 17.00

95.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.41 R 22.55

-7.80%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$27.8K R 442.7K

-0.34%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$27.6K R 440.1K

28.70%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$210 R 3,351

-16.19%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$32.58 R 520

-58.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$38.29 R 611

-21.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$44.49 R 710

0.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$3.10 R 49.40

450.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.88 R 77.8

27.05%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$186 R 2,970

326.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$5,342 R 85.2K

68.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$58.3 R 930

46.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$35.24 R 562

65.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$120 R 1,915

13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$70.4 R 1,122

46.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$228 R 3,636

364.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$227 R 3,616

199.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$617 R 9,841

226.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$424 R 6,763

175.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$6,128 R 97.7K

-32.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$152 R 2,428

1017.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,090 R 17.4K

-38.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.67

-6.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $228 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 64% higher in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $38.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $202 – making Pietermaritzburg 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 Pietermaritzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 60%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,608 in Pietermaritzburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $38.00 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pietermaritzburg, where all-in costs run around $1,072, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Pietermaritzburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pietermaritzburg – 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 Pietermaritzburg. 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.