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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,000 in Upington, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,593 in Upington, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,187 in Upington, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Upington, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Upington are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Upington 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.25 R 182

-47.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$34.00 R 550

-1.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.78 R 77.2

51.26%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.64 R 26.45

-0.61%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.00 R 16.10

9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.70 R 11.35

4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.56 R 25.18

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.53 R 40.96

27.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.85 R 13.81

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.10 R 17.83

17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.57 R 25.46

-15.92%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.46 R 39.79

-7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.76 R 125

-43.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.58 R 74.1

28.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.81 R 110

26.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.62 R 26.14

38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.46 R 23.55

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.55 R 25.05

-1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.64 R 26.47

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.32 R 21.37

-11.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.19 R 19.20

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.05 R 16.99

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.95 R 15.41

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.56 R 41.38

-12.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$3.69 R 59.7

199.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.37 R 22.16

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.65 R 26.65

44.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.63 R 26.37

-48.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.11 R 17.87

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.90 R 14.58

111.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.14 R 66.9

87.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.25 R 20.18

-19.20%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.4K R 345.4K

-17.70%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.5K R 379.5K

12.88%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$119 R 1,929

-29.88%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$35.51 R 574

-73.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$42.30 R 684

-43.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$30.45 R 492

-16.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.85 R 111

-40.15%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$196 R 3,161

59.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,300 R 69.5K

39.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$49.68 R 803

16.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$31.64 R 512

2.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$88.2 R 1,425

13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$78.7 R 1,273

37.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$364 R 5,883

32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$332 R 5,374

14.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$570 R 9,218

46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$700 R 11.3K

3.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$929 R 15.0K

205.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$696 R 11.3K

75.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$802 R 13.0K

-32.60%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Upington: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $364 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 48% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Upington. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $173 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 Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,500 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 10% 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 $1,000, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.