Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Upington Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Upington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,006 in Upington, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,576 in Upington, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,146 in Upington, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Upington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Upington are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Upington 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$11.14 R 183

-46.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$34.12 R 562

-2.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$4.73 R 77.9

53.28%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.56 R 25.63

9.62%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.98 R 16.17

11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.67 R 11.02

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.54 R 25.40

13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.58 R 42.52

23.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.88 R 14.49

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.11 R 18.22

17.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.59 R 26.17

-13.21%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.41 R 39.71

-8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$7.52 R 124

-39.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.51 R 74.3

28.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$6.88 R 113

30.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.59 R 26.24

44.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.46 R 23.97

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.47 R 24.26

2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.59 R 26.11

-14.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.33 R 21.89

-12.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.23 R 20.28

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.05 R 17.27

-20.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.90 R 14.76

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.50 R 41.13

-6.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$3.76 R 61.9

194.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.39 R 22.85

-17.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.69 R 27.88

46.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$1.61 R 26.50

-50.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.14 R 18.85

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.93 R 15.34

104.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$3.96 R 65.2

94.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.24 R 20.37

-16.94%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$21.2K R 349.1K

-16.57%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$23.7K R 390.5K

13.95%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$120 R 1,983

-32.39%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$35.74 R 589

-73.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$40.99 R 675

-42.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$31.12 R 513

-16.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.74 R 111

-39.91%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$201 R 3,303

55.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$4,263 R 70.2K

42.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$50.0 R 824

17.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$31.69 R 522

3.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$87.7 R 1,445

14.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$78.4 R 1,292

35.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$365 R 6,014

34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$331 R 5,452

11.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$561 R 9,248

49.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$699 R 11.5K

2.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$751 R 12.4K

293.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$688 R 11.3K

102.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$779 R 12.8K

-31.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.38

18.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Upington: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $365 in Upington. 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 46% higher in Upington, 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 in Medellin versus $34 in Upington. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $171 in Upington – so Upington 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 Upington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,510 in Upington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upington, 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 $34.00 in Upington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 Upington, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Upington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Upington – 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 Upington. 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.