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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,034 in Upington, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,602 in Upington, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,170 in Upington, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Upington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Upington are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Upington 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$11.00 R 183

-46.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$33.12 R 552

-0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.99 R 83.2

48.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.54 R 25.70

7.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.00 R 16.63

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.68 R 11.28

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.55 R 25.79

10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.50 R 41.59

27.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.82 R 13.66

34.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.13 R 18.90

11.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.57 R 26.10

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.45 R 40.82

-11.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.86 R 131

-42.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.51 R 75.2

28.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$6.70 R 112

33.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.59 R 26.52

45.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.52 R 25.24

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.47 R 24.52

3.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.57 R 26.09

-13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.38 R 22.93

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.24 R 20.70

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.06 R 17.65

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.92 R 15.25

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.51 R 41.76

-11.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$3.83 R 63.8

216.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.38 R 23.00

-13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.67 R 27.74

48.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$1.62 R 27.01

-47.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.10 R 18.30

29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.94 R 15.62

107.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$4.07 R 67.7

93.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.28 R 21.35

-22.66%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.5K R 358.9K

-18.31%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$23.9K R 397.4K

12.33%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$120 R 2,000

-30.87%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$34.82 R 580

-72.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$41.21 R 686

-42.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$30.52 R 508

-17.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.53 R 109

-39.51%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$196 R 3,269

60.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$4,377 R 72.9K

36.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$50.5 R 840

18.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$31.78 R 529

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$87.3 R 1,453

16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$80.6 R 1,342

33.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$363 R 6,047

30.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$334 R 5,557

12.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$564 R 9,394

50.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$703 R 11.7K

2.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$878 R 14.6K

271.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$709 R 11.8K

103.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$770 R 12.8K

-18.92%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Upington: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $363 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 23% higher in Upington, 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 $33.00 in Upington. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $172 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 – Upington is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,551 in Upington. 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 $33.00 in Upington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Upington – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Upington at $1,034. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Upington 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, Upington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.