Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Noosa Heads and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,698 in Noosa Heads, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Noosa Heads, Australia
Medellin, Colombia
Noosa Heads
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,698
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Noosa Heads and in Medellin

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

A single person spends $2,698 per month in Noosa Heads vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Noosa Heads $2,698
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $3,802 per month in Noosa Heads vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Noosa Heads $3,802
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $4,907 per month in Noosa Heads vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Noosa Heads $4,907
  • Medellin $3,186

Noosa Heads costs about 65% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Noosa Heads and Medellin sit above the global median – Noosa Heads by 98%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.23 A$18.81
$8.09 COP 26.1K
63.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.0 A$93.7
$47.05 COP 151.7K
40.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.48 A$7.79
$9.50 COP 30.6K
-42.32%
Cappuccino
$3.44 A$4.89
$3.01 COP 9,722
14.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 A$4.11
$1.80 COP 5,801
60.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 A$2.94
$1.41 COP 4,554
46.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.15 A$5.90
$3.18 COP 10.2K
30.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.66 A$8.04
$5.75 COP 18.5K
-1.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 A$2.13
$1.51 COP 4,869
-0.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 A$3.87
$2.38 COP 7,667
14.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 A$1.94
$1.77 COP 5,712
-23.16%
Eggs
$4.75 A$6.75
$2.89 COP 9,320
64.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.15 A$10.16
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-29.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.98 A$12.77
$9.87 COP 31.8K
-9.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.27 A$18.86
$13.99 COP 45.1K
-5.15%
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 A$5.60
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-0.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 A$3.94
$1.55 COP 5,005
78.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 A$3.03
$2.18 COP 7,039
-2.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.11 A$5.84
$2.18 COP 7,041
88.53%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 A$2.91
$1.96 COP 6,328
4.59%
Onion (1kg)
$2.04 A$2.90
$1.59 COP 5,125
28.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 A$2.96
$1.15 COP 3,694
80.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 A$0.96
$1.24 COP 4,009
-45.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$39.10 A$55.6
$3.96 COP 12.8K
887.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.90 A$16.92
$13.68 COP 44.1K
-13.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.01 A$7.12
$1.66 COP 5,352
201.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.40 A$9.10
$2.26 COP 7,281
183.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.73 A$3.88
$1.17 COP 3,766
133.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.8 A$136
$77.4 COP 249.5K
23.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.21 A$3.15
$1.27 COP 4,089
74.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 A$2.11
$2.05 COP 6,603
-27.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.42 A$48.93
$8.55 COP 27.6K
302.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 A$1.69
$1.35 COP 4,343
-11.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K A$40.1K
$34.1K COP 109.8M
-17.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K A$35.5K
$34.7K COP 111.8M
-28.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 A$175
$170 COP 547.0K
-27.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.81 A$43.80
$13.55 COP 43.7K
127.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 A$73.5
$28.07 COP 90.5K
84.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.51 A$57.6
$43.70 COP 140.9K
-7.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.70 A$25.15
$17.19 COP 55.4K
2.97%
Cinema Ticket
$13.06 A$18.57
$6.91 COP 22.3K
89.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,041 A$1,480
$797 COP 2.6M
30.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K A$16.9K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
30.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.3 A$108
$84.7 COP 273.2K
-10.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 A$77.1
$58.0 COP 186.9K
-6.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 A$146
$135 COP 435.2K
-23.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 A$174
$97.9 COP 315.6K
25.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,627 A$2,312
$1,208 COP 3.9M
34.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,607 A$2,284
$642 COP 2.1M
150.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,616 A$3,718
$2,028 COP 6.5M
29.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,419 A$3,438
$1,012 COP 3.3M
139.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,408 A$7,687
$4,170 COP 13.4M
29.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,473 A$7,779
$1,910 COP 6.2M
186.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Noosa Heads
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,063 A$4,354
$657 COP 2.1M
366.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.69
10.94
-47.99%

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

Last update for Noosa Heads: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Noosa Heads
$1.6K
Medellin
$642 60.1% $966
Groceries & Markets
Noosa Heads
$327
Medellin
$297 9.1% $30
Eating Out
Noosa Heads
$215
Medellin
$170 21.3% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Noosa Heads
$206
Medellin
$211 2.7% $5.5
Clothing & Footwear
Noosa Heads
$160
Medellin
$169 5.6% $9
Getting Around
Noosa Heads
$116
Medellin
$94 19.6% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Noosa Heads
$67
Medellin
$58 13.7% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,627 in Noosa Heads versus $1,208 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 in Noosa Heads are about 4.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Noosa Heads versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Noosa Heads
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
19:21 7:21 PM
04:21 4:21 AM
15 h behind Noosa Heads
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,041
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,598 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Noosa Heads Medellin 14,400 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Noosa Heads
  • Medellin

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
Noosa Heads vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Noosa Heads?
Yes – Noosa Heads is pricier by about 65%, 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 $4,047 per month in Noosa Heads and $2,459 in Medellin. 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,627 in Noosa Heads.
Is eating out cheaper in Noosa Heads or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Noosa Heads and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Noosa Heads and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,698 in Noosa Heads and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 39% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Noosa Heads or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Noosa Heads at $2,698. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noosa Heads it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Noosa Heads or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Noosa Heads makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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