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 $1,662 per month in Palmerston North vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,665 per month in Palmerston North vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,668 per month in Palmerston North vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Palmerston North costs about 61% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Palmerston North sits 24% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.84 NZ$28.83

$6.16 COP 20.1K

173.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 NZ$124

$32.60 COP 106.1K

122.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 NZ$20.62

$7.34 COP 23.9K

64.03%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.83

$1.72 COP 5,600

98.26%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$1.05 COP 3,420

119.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$0.77 COP 2,515

170.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.59

$1.69 COP 5,488

335.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 NZ$10.62

$3.17 COP 10.3K

95.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$1.05 COP 3,423

82.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$1.30 COP 4,236

59.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.40 COP 4,544

29.29%

Eggs

$5.28 NZ$9.03

$2.16 COP 7,047

144.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$14.03

$4.39 COP 14.3K

86.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 NZ$15.87

$5.88 COP 19.1K

57.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 NZ$21.55

$8.64 COP 28.1K

45.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 NZ$4.27

$2.28 COP 7,426

9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$1.11 COP 3,604

64.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$1.53 COP 4,983

58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 NZ$5.96

$1.35 COP 4,410

157.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$1.13 COP 3,674

88.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$1.13 COP 3,692

91.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.49

$0.85 COP 2,753

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 NZ$1.70

$0.91 COP 2,975

8.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.47 NZ$35.04

$2.34 COP 7,630

774.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 NZ$15.05

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-28.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NZ$4.20

$1.20 COP 3,909

104.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 NZ$8.93

$2.49 COP 8,104

109.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 NZ$7.86

$0.84 COP 2,728

446.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.29 NZ$51.9

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-25.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$1.42 COP 4,623

67.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.08

$1.92 COP 6,235

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 NZ$29.88

$7.66 COP 24.9K

127.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$0.99 COP 3,223

65.66%

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

$18.4K NZ$31.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

1.97%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-18.20%

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

$89.6 NZ$153

$80.8 COP 263.1K

10.90%

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

$36.80 NZ$63.0

$9.95 COP 32.4K

269.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.79 NZ$81.8

$24.18 COP 78.7K

97.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 NZ$60.8

$25.08 COP 81.7K

41.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 NZ$22.56

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-31.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 NZ$15.65

$3.98 COP 13.0K

129.65%

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

$993 NZ$1,700

$305 COP 993.5K

225.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,069 NZ$10.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

0.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 NZ$97.5

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.10 NZ$63.5

$32.20 COP 104.8K

15.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 NZ$158

$101 COP 327.9K

-8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 NZ$155

$108 COP 350.8K

-15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,445

$477 COP 1.6M

77.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 NZ$1,177

$376 COP 1.2M

82.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 NZ$2,688

$845 COP 2.7M

85.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 NZ$2,382

$730 COP 2.4M

90.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,125 NZ$3,638

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-33.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 NZ$3,231

$1,372 COP 4.5M

37.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,576 NZ$4,411

$617 COP 2.0M

317.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

13.43

-50.19%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Palmerston North versus $477 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 318% higher in Palmerston North, 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 $73.0 in Palmerston North versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $193 – 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

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

Yes – Palmerston North is pricier by about 61%, 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 $2,493 per month in Palmerston North and $1,546 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 $73.0 in Palmerston North and $33.00 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 $1,662 in Palmerston North and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Palmerston North at $1,662. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palmerston North 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, Palmerston North makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.