Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,631 per month in Palmerston North vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,689 per month in Palmerston North vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,747 per month in Palmerston North vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Palmerston North is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Palmerston North and Medellin sit above the global median – Palmerston North by 19%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.30 NZ$24.30

$8.03 COP 25.2K

78.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 NZ$118

$48.26 COP 151.7K

43.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 NZ$16.13

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-2.87%

Cappuccino

$3.42 NZ$5.82

$2.91 COP 9,149

17.53%

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

$2.45 NZ$4.17

$1.94 COP 6,110

26.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.12

$1.52 COP 4,783

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 NZ$11.36

$3.09 COP 9,721

116.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 NZ$12.12

$5.74 COP 18.1K

24.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 NZ$3.33

$1.36 COP 4,287

44.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 NZ$3.92

$2.39 COP 7,505

-3.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 NZ$2.38

$1.70 COP 5,346

-17.65%

Eggs

$5.38 NZ$9.14

$2.87 COP 9,021

87.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 NZ$12.00

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-28.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 NZ$17.16

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-6.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 NZ$19.06

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-23.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 NZ$4.50

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-35.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.85

$1.57 COP 4,940

43.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.91

$2.13 COP 6,682

7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 NZ$10.08

$2.21 COP 6,959

168.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 NZ$2.58

$2.05 COP 6,435

-25.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 NZ$1.55

$1.50 COP 4,728

-39.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 NZ$2.96

$1.19 COP 3,740

46.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 NZ$1.27

$1.16 COP 3,640

-35.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.85 NZ$40.51

$3.90 COP 12.2K

511.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 NZ$14.48

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-40.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$4.94

$1.58 COP 4,978

84.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$4.94

$2.83 COP 8,889

2.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 NZ$7.17

$1.17 COP 3,672

260.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 NZ$145

$77.7 COP 244.3K

10.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 NZ$3.33

$1.28 COP 4,038

53.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$2.09 COP 6,576

-11.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 NZ$30.19

$8.62 COP 27.1K

106.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.30 COP 4,080

33.08%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.0K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-17.05%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.3K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-28.14%

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

$73.0 NZ$124

$176 COP 553.4K

-58.53%

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

$33.34 NZ$56.6

$13.37 COP 42.0K

149.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.98 NZ$62.8

$29.89 COP 94.0K

23.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.56 NZ$40.02

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-47.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 NZ$25.27

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-12.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 NZ$20.94

$6.20 COP 19.5K

98.87%

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

$1,105 NZ$1,876

$793 COP 2.5M

39.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,727 NZ$14.8K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-3.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 NZ$126

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.14 NZ$49.50

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-50.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 NZ$147

$136 COP 428.4K

-36.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 NZ$150

$103 COP 324.1K

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 NZ$1,623

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 NZ$1,129

$680 COP 2.1M

-2.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 NZ$2,811

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 NZ$2,317

$1,169 COP 3.7M

16.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,196 NZ$3,731

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-46.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,927 NZ$3,273

$1,701 COP 5.3M

13.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,646 NZ$4,494

$665 COP 2.1M

297.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

10.94

-50.73%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $955 in Palmerston North versus $1,060 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 298% higher in Palmerston North, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Palmerston North versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $301 in Palmerston North vs $303 in Medellin – so Palmerston North 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

Palmerston North vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, 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 $2,447 per month in Palmerston North and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palmerston North, 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 $69.0 in Palmerston North 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 $1,631 in Palmerston North and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Palmerston North, where all-in costs run around $1,631, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Palmerston North it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palmerston North – 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 Palmerston North. 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.