Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wagga Wagga

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,906 in Wagga Wagga, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Wagga Wagga, Australia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Wagga Wagga
🇦🇺 Australia
$1,906
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Wagga Wagga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Wagga Wagga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,906 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Wagga Wagga $1,906

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,885 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Wagga Wagga $2,885

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,865 in Wagga Wagga, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Wagga Wagga $3,865

Medellin is about 14% cheaper than Wagga Wagga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Wagga Wagga sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Wagga Wagga by 40%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$13.65 A$19.48
-40.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$90.4 A$129
-47.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$10.32 A$14.73
-7.95%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,734
$4.02 A$5.74
-25.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$3.12 A$4.46
-42.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,560
$2.51 A$3.58
-43.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$8.64 A$12.33
-63.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$10.01 A$14.28
-42.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,875
$1.49 A$2.13
1.34%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,677
$3.21 A$4.59
-25.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,719
$2.60 A$3.72
-31.92%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,332
$5.32 A$7.59
-45.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$12.97 A$18.51
-21.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$9.90 A$14.14
-0.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$15.47 A$22.08
-9.57%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$4.02 A$5.74
-1.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,011
$3.13 A$4.47
-50.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$3.46 A$4.94
-36.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,050
$5.20 A$7.42
-58.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,336
$3.09 A$4.42
-36.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,131
$2.72 A$3.88
-41.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,698
$2.46 A$3.51
-53.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$1.40 A$2.00
-11.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$45.05 A$64.3
-91.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$13.91 A$19.85
-1.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$4.65 A$6.64
-64.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,290
$5.46 A$7.79
-58.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
$3.18 A$4.54
-63.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$4.14 A$5.91
-69.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,611
$1.57 A$2.24
30.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$42.56 A$60.7
-79.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,348
$1.31 A$1.87
3.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$28.4K A$40.5K
19.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$26.8K A$38.3K
29.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.7K
$186 A$265
-8.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$27.04 A$38.59
-49.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$56.3 A$80.3
-50.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$28.02 A$39.99
55.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$15.87 A$22.65
-56.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$2,202 A$3,143
-63.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$20.5K A$29.3K
-55.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$77.3 A$110
9.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.1K
$56.3 A$80.4
2.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.7K
$109 A$155
23.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$131 A$187
-25.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$907 A$1,294
33.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$714 A$1,019
-10.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,526 A$2,179
32.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,128 A$1,610
-10.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$3,463 A$4,942
20.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$2,408 A$3,436
-20.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.95
83.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Wagga Wagga: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Wagga Wagga
$714 11.3% $73
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Wagga Wagga
$396 33.3% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Wagga Wagga
$269 27.4% $58
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Wagga Wagga
$274 61.7% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Wagga Wagga
$168 0.5% $0.9
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Wagga Wagga
$25 * 73.6% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Wagga Wagga
$60 3.9% $2.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $907 in Wagga Wagga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $90 in Wagga Wagga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $396 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇦🇺 Wagga Wagga
🕒 Local time
14:52 2:52 PM
06:52 6:52 AM
16 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
49,686
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,619 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.701 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Wagga Wagga 14,580 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Wagga Wagga

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Wagga Wagga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Wagga Wagga?
Yes – Wagga Wagga is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,859 in Wagga Wagga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Wagga Wagga, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $907 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Wagga Wagga?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $90 in Wagga Wagga. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Wagga Wagga?
Groceries cost about 33% more in Wagga Wagga, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Wagga Wagga?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $1,906 in Wagga Wagga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Wagga Wagga?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $1,906 in Wagga Wagga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?