Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,673 per month in Northam vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,763 per month in Northam vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,853 per month in Northam vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Northam costs about 63% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Northam and Medellin sit above the global median – Northam by 94%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.47 A$29.72

$8.04 COP 25.0K

167.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 A$121

$48.29 COP 149.9K

81.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.70

$9.42 COP 29.3K

12.74%

Cappuccino

$4.61 A$6.38

$2.94 COP 9,120

56.80%

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

$2.97 A$4.11

$1.86 COP 5,786

59.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 A$3.23

$1.46 COP 4,519

59.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.59 A$11.89

$3.21 COP 9,969

167.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 A$12.07

$5.71 COP 17.7K

52.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 A$2.42

$1.44 COP 4,467

21.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 A$3.66

$2.40 COP 7,454

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 A$2.83

$1.70 COP 5,274

20.00%

Eggs

$4.79 A$6.63

$2.89 COP 8,975

65.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 A$8.76

$10.06 COP 31.2K

-37.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 A$13.32

$9.97 COP 31.0K

-3.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 A$19.68

$14.20 COP 44.1K

0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.05

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.55

$1.58 COP 4,921

107.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 A$4.83

$2.15 COP 6,682

62.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 A$7.52

$2.30 COP 7,141

136.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.11

$2.00 COP 6,223

48.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 A$2.80

$1.51 COP 4,687

33.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 A$3.33

$1.20 COP 3,734

100.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 A$1.03

$1.28 COP 3,981

-41.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.33 A$60.0

$3.84 COP 11.9K

1028.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.50 A$4.85

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-75.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.52 A$6.25

$1.71 COP 5,302

164.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 A$4.83

$2.74 COP 8,515

27.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 A$4.38

$1.25 COP 3,868

152.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 A$117

$77.9 COP 241.9K

8.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 A$5.27

$1.31 COP 4,052

190.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 A$1.99

$2.17 COP 6,739

-33.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.01 A$56.8

$8.29 COP 25.8K

394.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.36 COP 4,209

-0.74%

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

$28.6K A$39.6K

$27.5K COP 85.3M

4.16%

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

$30.8K A$42.6K

$36.5K COP 113.4M

-15.71%

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

$207 A$287

$169 COP 523.8K

22.72%

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

$25.47 A$35.26

$13.57 COP 42.1K

87.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 A$87.9

$28.32 COP 87.9K

124.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.2 A$80.6

$45.71 COP 141.9K

27.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 A$25.45

$17.22 COP 53.5K

6.74%

Cinema Ticket

$16.97 A$23.49

$6.65 COP 20.6K

155.19%

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

$2,367 A$3,277

$803 COP 2.5M

194.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K A$33.0K

$9,190 COP 28.5M

159.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 A$106

$87.4 COP 271.2K

-12.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 A$96.9

$59.4 COP 184.3K

17.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$168

$139 COP 431.3K

-12.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 A$220

$102 COP 316.8K

55.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 A$2,034

$1,071 COP 3.3M

37.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 A$1,770

$653 COP 2.0M

95.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,162

$1,925 COP 6.0M

18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 A$2,576

$1,048 COP 3.3M

77.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,713 A$9,295

$4,123 COP 12.8M

62.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,276 A$7,305

$1,697 COP 5.3M

210.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

10.94

-45.89%

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

Last update for Northam: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,469 in Northam 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Northam versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 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

Northam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Northam is pricier by about 63%, 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 $4,010 per month in Northam 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Northam and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,673 in Northam and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Northam at $2,673. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Northam 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, Northam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.