Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $982 per month in Newcastle vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,526 per month in Newcastle vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,071 per month in Newcastle vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Newcastle is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Newcastle and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Newcastle 27% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.38 R 136

$5.95 COP 20.8K

40.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.15 R 552

$33.33 COP 116.3K

2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 R 75.3

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-35.55%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R 32.90

$1.63 COP 5,687

24.54%

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

$1.02 R 16.47

$1.09 COP 3,821

-6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R 13.57

$0.73 COP 2,548

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R 36.58

$1.74 COP 6,065

29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 R 46.56

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-10.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.46

$1.05 COP 3,662

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.12

$1.29 COP 4,515

-17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.09

$1.32 COP 4,617

-6.06%

Eggs

$1.76 R 28.39

$2.27 COP 7,927

-22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 R 98.1

$4.35 COP 15.2K

39.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 R 75.9

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-20.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 R 101

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-27.29%

Apples (1kg)

$0.77 R 12.52

$2.25 COP 7,844

-65.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 R 16.06

$1.07 COP 3,733

-7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 R 13.99

$1.52 COP 5,322

-42.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 R 20.89

$1.42 COP 4,964

-9.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 R 14.19

$1.17 COP 4,084

-24.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.54

$1.17 COP 4,077

3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 R 11.53

$0.89 COP 3,096

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 R 8.75

$0.90 COP 3,146

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R 46.14

$2.25 COP 7,837

26.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.98 R 48.11

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-73.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 R 21.55

$1.14 COP 3,977

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R 13.96

$2.38 COP 8,301

-63.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.42

$0.84 COP 2,916

94.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 R 22.45

$1.41 COP 4,912

-1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 R 21.62

$1.90 COP 6,634

-29.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 R 48.70

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-61.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.25

$1.01 COP 3,509

29.70%

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

$19.1K R 308.1K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

8.41%

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

$26.5K R 428.5K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

0.04%

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

$125 R 2,023

$83.7 COP 292.1K

49.53%

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

$37.02 R 598

$9.45 COP 33.0K

291.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 R 615

$24.11 COP 84.1K

57.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.88 R 499

$25.31 COP 88.3K

22.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 R 121

$4.10 COP 14.3K

82.20%

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

$197 R 3,185

$312 COP 1.1M

-36.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,302 R 69.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-28.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 R 834

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-11.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 R 529

$32.56 COP 113.6K

0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 R 1,396

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 R 1,431

$109 COP 378.8K

-18.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 5,924

$482 COP 1.7M

-24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 R 5,293

$379 COP 1.3M

-13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 R 11.1K

$837 COP 2.9M

-18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 R 11.1K

$723 COP 2.5M

-5.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 R 14.9K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-67.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$662 R 10.7K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-45.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

13.43

-12.96%

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

Last update for Newcastle: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $366 in Newcastle versus $482 in Medellin. 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 $34.00 in Newcastle versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $144 in Newcastle vs $190 in Medellin – so Newcastle 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

Newcastle vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,472 per month in Newcastle and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Newcastle, 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 $34.00 in Newcastle and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Newcastle, where all-in costs run around $982, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Newcastle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Newcastle – 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 Newcastle. 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.