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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $908 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,426 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,944 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

Medellin costs about 12% more than Port Shepstone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Port Shepstone are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Port Shepstone 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.68 R 125

-22.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$27.56 R 448

19.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.92 R 80.0

44.11%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.90 R 30.82

-10.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.89 R 14.53

23.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.67 R 10.95

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.99 R 32.33

-15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.22 R 36.13

38.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.82 R 13.32

32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.66 R 10.67

90.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.11 R 17.97

24.32%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.30 R 21.16

68.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.68 R 109

-34.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.35 R 54.4

68.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.22 R 101

42.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.15 R 18.63

103.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.69 R 11.28

53.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.58 R 9.37

158.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.34 R 21.85

2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.58 R 9.50

98.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.22 R 19.83

-4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.85 R 13.85

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.58 R 9.37

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.16 R 51.4

-27.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$4.91 R 79.8

116.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.42 R 23.03

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.77 R 28.78

39.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.63 R 26.48

-47.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.73 R 28.07

-15.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.57 R 9.29

243.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.65 R 108

16.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.30 R 21.19

-26.92%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.8K R 322.4K

-8.62%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$23.9K R 388.9K

10.67%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$111 R 1,808

-26.06%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$16.63 R 270

-42.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$33.36 R 542

-27.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.39 R 478

-11.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.76 R 110

-41.86%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$209 R 3,394

48.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,683 R 76.1K

27.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$42.64 R 693

37.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.89 R 486

8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$93.5 R 1,520

9.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$74.1 R 1,204

46.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$365 R 5,925

30.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$340 R 5,529

11.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$683 R 11.1K

22.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$679 R 11.0K

6.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$778 R 12.6K

258.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$606 R 9,844

99.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,017 R 49.0K

-83.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.01

11.82%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Port Shepstone: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $365 in Port Shepstone. 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 490% higher in Port Shepstone, 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 $28.00 in Port Shepstone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $134 – making Port Shepstone 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 Port Shepstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,362 in Port Shepstone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Shepstone, 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 $28.00 in Port Shepstone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Port Shepstone, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Port Shepstone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Shepstone – 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 Port Shepstone. 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.