Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,393 per month in Papeete vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,560 per month in Papeete vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,728 per month in Papeete vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Papeete costs about 46% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Papeete and Medellin sit above the global median – Papeete by 74%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 CFPF 2,014

$8.04 COP 24.8K

144.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.5 CFPF 9,885

$48.29 COP 148.6K

99.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.44 CFPF 1,582

$9.42 COP 29.0K

63.91%

Cappuccino

$3.45 CFPF 353

$2.94 COP 9,040

17.35%

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

$2.72 CFPF 279

$1.86 COP 5,735

46.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 CFPF 348

$1.46 COP 4,479

132.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 CFPF 343

$3.21 COP 9,882

4.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CFPF 408

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-30.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 CFPF 151

$1.44 COP 4,428

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CFPF 290

$2.40 COP 7,389

17.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 CFPF 171

$1.70 COP 5,228

-1.76%

Eggs

$6.70 CFPF 687

$2.89 COP 8,896

131.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.17 CFPF 2,989

$10.06 COP 30.9K

189.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.75 CFPF 1,613

$9.97 COP 30.7K

57.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.10 CFPF 2,776

$14.20 COP 43.7K

90.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 CFPF 505

$3.98 COP 12.3K

23.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 CFPF 259

$1.58 COP 4,878

60.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.86 CFPF 702

$2.15 COP 6,624

219.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.14 CFPF 834

$2.30 COP 7,078

253.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CFPF 288

$2.00 COP 6,169

41.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CFPF 238

$1.51 COP 4,646

54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.95 CFPF 404

$1.20 COP 3,701

229.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CFPF 123

$1.28 COP 3,946

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.12 CFPF 1,344

$3.84 COP 11.8K

241.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.20 CFPF 2,274

$14.01 COP 43.1K

58.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 CFPF 289

$1.71 COP 5,256

64.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CFPF 326

$2.74 COP 8,440

16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 CFPF 201

$1.25 COP 3,834

56.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.83 CFPF 1,008

$1.31 COP 4,016

650.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 CFPF 161

$1.36 COP 4,172

16.18%

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

$19.4K CFPF 2.0M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-29.22%

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

$29.2K CFPF 3.0M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-20.12%

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

$186 CFPF 19.1K

$169 COP 519.2K

10.40%

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

$20.21 CFPF 2,070

$13.57 COP 41.8K

48.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 CFPF 7,353

$28.32 COP 87.2K

153.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.8 CFPF 8,992

$45.71 COP 140.7K

92.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$14.67 CFPF 1,503

$6.65 COP 20.5K

120.60%

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

$482 CFPF 49.4K

$803 COP 2.5M

-40.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,779 CFPF 1.0M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

6.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 CFPF 7,392

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-17.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.7 CFPF 7,753

$59.4 COP 182.7K

27.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 CFPF 8,234

$139 COP 427.5K

-42.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 CFPF 9,442

$102 COP 314.0K

-9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 CFPF 139.9K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 CFPF 98.8K

$653 COP 2.0M

47.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 CFPF 197.6K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 CFPF 162.3K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

51.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,343 CFPF 752.3K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

78.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,943 CFPF 813.7K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

367.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,446 CFPF 250.5K

$655 COP 2.0M

273.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

10.94

-58.87%

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

Last update for Papeete: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,365 in Papeete 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.

Salaries run about 273% higher in Papeete, 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 $96.0 in Papeete versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $540 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

Papeete vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Papeete is pricier by about 46%, 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 $3,590 per month in Papeete 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 $96.0 in Papeete and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% more in Papeete, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Papeete at $2,393. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Papeete 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, Papeete makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.