Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,954 per month in New Plymouth vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,039 per month in New Plymouth vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,123 per month in New Plymouth vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

New Plymouth costs about 19% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both New Plymouth and Medellin sit above the global median – New Plymouth by 42%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.33

$8.04 COP 25.1K

85.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 NZ$119

$48.29 COP 150.7K

44.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 NZ$17.71

$9.42 COP 29.4K

10.62%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.97

$2.94 COP 9,169

19.39%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$1.86 COP 5,817

20.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$1.46 COP 4,543

32.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 NZ$9.07

$3.21 COP 10.0K

66.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 NZ$10.20

$5.71 COP 17.8K

5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$1.44 COP 4,491

30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$2.40 COP 7,494

-30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.70 COP 5,302

1.76%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.51

$2.89 COP 9,022

134.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 NZ$12.59

$10.06 COP 31.4K

-26.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$21.91

$9.97 COP 31.1K

29.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 NZ$20.75

$14.20 COP 44.3K

-14.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-31.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$1.58 COP 4,947

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.46

$2.15 COP 6,718

49.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 NZ$11.23

$2.30 COP 7,178

186.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$2.00 COP 6,257

26.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$1.51 COP 4,712

-2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.20 COP 3,754

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NZ$2.25

$1.28 COP 4,002

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.53 NZ$39.99

$3.84 COP 12.0K

512.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 NZ$14.57

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-38.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.24

$1.71 COP 5,331

80.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NZ$6.71

$2.74 COP 8,560

44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$1.25 COP 3,888

42.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.5 NZ$132

$77.9 COP 243.1K

-0.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,073

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,775

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.36 COP 4,231

29.41%

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

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

$27.5K COP 85.7M

68.62%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

$36.5K COP 114.0M

-31.85%

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

$131 NZ$223

$169 COP 526.6K

-22.30%

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

$29.98 NZ$51.0

$13.57 COP 42.4K

120.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 NZ$83.3

$28.32 COP 88.4K

73.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 NZ$75.2

$45.71 COP 142.7K

-3.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.8K

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 NZ$14.56

$6.65 COP 20.8K

28.72%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 NZ$148

$87.4 COP 272.7K

-0.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 185.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NZ$158

$139 COP 433.6K

-33.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$200

$102 COP 318.5K

15.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 NZ$1,609

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,475

$653 COP 2.0M

32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 NZ$3,060

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-6.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 NZ$2,788

$1,048 COP 3.3M

56.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,767

$4,123 COP 12.9M

-17.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 NZ$4,655

$1,697 COP 5.3M

61.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,889 NZ$4,911

$655 COP 2.0M

341.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

10.94

-45.80%

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

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in New Plymouth versus $1,071 in Medellin. 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 341% higher in New Plymouth, 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 $70.0 in New Plymouth versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $300 – making Medellin 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

New Plymouth vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New Plymouth is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,931 per month in New Plymouth and $2,462 in Medellin. 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.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 13% more in New Plymouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in New Plymouth at $1,954. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Plymouth 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Plymouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.