Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Polokwane Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Polokwane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $992 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,461 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,931 in Polokwane, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Polokwane is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$12.44 R 199

-35.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$31.20 R 499

54.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$7.38 R 118

32.38%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.47 R 39.50

17.81%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.98 R 15.75

97.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.97 R 15.50

56.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.77 R 28.31

74.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.13 R 34.10

169.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.37 R 21.94

-0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.19 R 18.97

100.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.80 R 28.86

-5.56%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.62 R 41.85

9.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$7.70 R 123

29.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$4.11 R 65.7

162.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$6.09 R 97.5

141.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.10 R 33.56

94.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.95 R 31.17

-19.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.82 R 29.10

17.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$2.03 R 32.51

8.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.75 R 28.00

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.61 R 25.70

-6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.15 R 18.39

3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.82 R 13.11

41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.72 R 43.55

43.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$4.80 R 76.8

200.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.24 R 19.78

27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.63 R 26.12

73.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.89 R 14.24

31.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$31.55 R 505

146.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.90 R 14.44

42.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.90 R 14.32

132.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$14.78 R 236

-41.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.42 R 22.73

-8.45%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$26.1K R 418.1K

5.80%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$29.3K R 468.5K

21.22%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$138 R 2,214

27.17%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$39.69 R 635

-66.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$34.33 R 549

-12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$23.26 R 372

92.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$8.30 R 133

-25.30%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$185 R 2,957

329.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$1,482 R 23.7K

508.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$47.04 R 752

81.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$37.70 R 603

55.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$82.3 R 1,316

65.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$96.6 R 1,545

6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$297 R 4,745

257.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$211 R 3,371

222.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$438 R 7,001

359.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$289 R 4,617

304.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,546 R 24.7K

-56.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.91

0.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $297 in Polokwane. 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 132% higher in Polokwane, 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 $31.00 in Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $187 – making Polokwane 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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, 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 $1,488 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, 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 $31.00 in Polokwane. 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 $992 in Polokwane. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polokwane – 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 Polokwane. 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.