Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Port Elizabeth Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Port Elizabeth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,167 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,849 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,532 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Port Elizabeth 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.89 R 147

-30.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$44.06 R 729

-26.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.36 R 88.8

36.94%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.14 R 35.47

-19.63%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.14 R 18.83

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.00 R 16.50

-23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.56 R 42.41

-33.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.02 R 50.0

4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.12 R 18.53

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.95 R 15.78

36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.50 R 24.80

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.45 R 40.59

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.79 R 129

-43.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.74 R 78.5

24.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.03 R 133

7.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.64 R 27.08

39.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.42 R 23.56

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.63 R 27.01

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.63 R 26.91

-17.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.55 R 25.73

-27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.12 R 18.58

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.17 R 19.43

-27.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.01 R 16.68

-9.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.95 R 48.75

-20.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.86 R 80.4

154.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.10 R 18.22

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.72 R 28.40

44.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$1.13 R 18.74

-25.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$34.27 R 567

18.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.67 R 44.18

-46.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.45 R 7.47

326.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.95 R 132

-3.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.27 R 20.98

-22.05%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.9K R 396.2K

-24.66%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.8K R 426.5K

3.35%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$114 R 1,892

-29.29%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$31.86 R 527

-68.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$44.72 R 740

-45.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$29.14 R 482

-13.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.28 R 352

-10.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.73 R 161

-59.10%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$168 R 2,783

81.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,835 R 80.0K

25.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$67.2 R 1,112

-13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$37.20 R 616

-13.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$96.6 R 1,600

4.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$89.0 R 1,472

21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$584 R 9,670

-18.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$438 R 7,243

-14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,097 R 18.2K

-22.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$870 R 14.4K

-16.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$772 R 12.8K

316.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$525 R 8,697

161.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,623 R 26.9K

-61.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.04

11.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $584 in Port Elizabeth. 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 163% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $181 in Port Elizabeth – so Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Elizabeth is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,750 in Port Elizabeth. 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. 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 $1,167 in Port Elizabeth. 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 Port Elizabeth at $1,167. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth 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, Port Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.