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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $841 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,285 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,728 in Polokwane, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Polokwane 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.89 R 163

-37.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$42.17 R 696

-22.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.90 R 80.8

49.80%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.15 R 35.41

-20.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.80 R 13.21

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.75 R 12.40

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.72 R 28.42

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.99 R 32.82

59.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.14 R 18.85

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.95 R 15.60

36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.71 R 28.26

-18.13%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.45 R 40.49

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.17 R 118

-38.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.41 R 56.3

72.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.63 R 92.9

53.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.60 R 26.47

42.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.53 R 25.21

-27.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.52 R 25.10

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.67 R 27.53

-19.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.51 R 24.95

-25.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.24 R 20.38

-8.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.04 R 17.17

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.78 R 12.79

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.67 R 44.12

-12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.77 R 78.7

159.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.08 R 17.78

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.28 R 21.16

94.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.17 R 52.4

-73.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.83 R 13.64

71.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.95 R 15.67

102.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.00 R 66.1

91.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.20 R 19.73

-17.50%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$13.8K R 227.0K

31.10%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.0K R 362.8K

21.12%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$120 R 1,981

-32.68%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$40.02 R 660

-75.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$36.66 R 605

-34.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$22.03 R 364

13.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.34 R 121

-45.78%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$171 R 2,824

78.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,368 R 22.6K

342.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$33.02 R 545

76.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$33.93 R 560

-5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$73.7 R 1,216

36.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$77.8 R 1,283

38.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$251 R 4,144

89.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$178 R 2,939

111.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$373 R 6,162

126.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$275 R 4,540

165.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,502 R 24.8K

-58.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.51

16.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $251 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 144% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Polokwane. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $163 in Polokwane – so Polokwane 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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,262 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $42.00 in Polokwane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $841, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.