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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,047 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,638 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,228 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

Medellin costs about 64% more than Port Shepstone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Port Shepstone is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$8.23 R 132

-2.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$40.09 R 641

20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$5.86 R 93.7

66.72%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.79 R 44.60

4.30%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.14 R 18.28

70.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.89 R 14.19

70.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$2.51 R 40.22

23.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.80 R 44.75

105.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.96 R 15.31

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.68 R 10.92

251.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.22 R 19.55

39.34%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.47 R 23.46

95.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$7.35 R 118

35.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$3.65 R 58.4

195.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$7.48 R 120

96.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.23 R 19.65

232.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$0.77 R 12.37

103.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$0.61 R 9.70

249.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.60 R 25.51

38.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.61 R 9.68

236.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.49 R 23.79

0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.98 R 15.65

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.60 R 9.59

93.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.72 R 59.5

4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$4.89 R 78.2

195.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.51 R 24.12

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.00 R 32.05

41.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$1.58 R 25.21

-25.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.45 R 7.23

184.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.78 R 12.41

167.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$7.96 R 127

8.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.38 R 22.12

-5.80%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$37.5K R 599.1K

-26.17%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$33.3K R 531.9K

6.77%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$123 R 1,966

43.22%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$18.90 R 302

-29.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$37.89 R 606

-21.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$33.56 R 537

33.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$6.88 R 110

-9.88%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$342 R 5,467

132.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$7,371 R 117.9K

22.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$53.1 R 849

61.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$33.29 R 532

75.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$102 R 1,636

33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$91.4 R 1,462

12.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$399 R 6,382

165.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$384 R 6,136

77.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$750 R 12.0K

168.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$761 R 12.2K

53.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$883 R 14.1K

365.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$653 R 10.5K

160.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$3,063 R 49.0K

-78.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.66

-6.17%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Port Shepstone: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $399 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 360% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Port Shepstone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $148 – 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 64%, 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 $1,571 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Port Shepstone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 105% 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 $1,047, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.