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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,329 per month in Papeete vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,484 per month in Papeete vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,639 per month in Papeete vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Papeete costs about 125% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Papeete sits 74% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.17 CFPF 1,752

$5.92 COP 21.4K

190.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 CFPF 8,270

$32.75 COP 118.2K

147.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 CFPF 1,240

$7.20 COP 26.0K

68.75%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CFPF 412

$1.70 COP 6,140

137.65%

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

$3.28 CFPF 334

$1.10 COP 3,966

198.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 CFPF 275

$0.72 COP 2,605

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 CFPF 298

$1.67 COP 6,022

74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CFPF 405

$3.10 COP 11.2K

28.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 CFPF 155

$1.06 COP 3,809

43.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 CFPF 76.0

$1.25 COP 4,497

-40.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 CFPF 167

$1.39 COP 5,022

17.27%

Eggs

$6.37 CFPF 650

$2.26 COP 8,168

181.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.18 CFPF 2,672

$4.33 COP 15.6K

504.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.02 CFPF 1,737

$5.84 COP 21.1K

191.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.64 CFPF 2,718

$8.83 COP 31.9K

201.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 CFPF 535

$2.24 COP 8,099

133.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 CFPF 228

$1.08 COP 3,882

106.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 CFPF 595

$1.53 COP 5,522

281.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.81 CFPF 797

$1.37 COP 4,950

470.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 CFPF 296

$1.13 COP 4,078

156.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CFPF 271

$1.12 COP 4,036

136.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 CFPF 394

$0.85 COP 3,057

354.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CFPF 114

$0.91 COP 3,281

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.25 CFPF 1,250

$2.33 COP 8,414

425.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.26 CFPF 2,476

$11.13 COP 40.2K

117.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 CFPF 198

$1.19 COP 4,309

63.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CFPF 316

$2.37 COP 8,553

30.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CFPF 203

$0.79 COP 2,838

151.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 CFPF 962

$1.44 COP 5,184

554.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 CFPF 158

$0.94 COP 3,385

64.89%

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

$19.6K CFPF 2.0M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

9.29%

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

$29.6K CFPF 3.0M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

10.62%

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

$187 CFPF 19.1K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

122.65%

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

$17.15 CFPF 1,750

$9.60 COP 34.7K

78.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CFPF 6,331

$24.16 COP 87.2K

156.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 CFPF 7,928

$25.88 COP 93.4K

200.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 CFPF 1,486

$3.92 COP 14.1K

271.68%

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

$490 CFPF 50.0K

$306 COP 1.1M

59.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,746 CFPF 994.4K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

64.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 CFPF 7,804

$57.9 COP 209.1K

32.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.8 CFPF 8,546

$31.82 COP 114.9K

163.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 CFPF 7,836

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-23.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 CFPF 9,554

$107 COP 386.8K

-12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 CFPF 126.5K

$487 COP 1.8M

154.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 CFPF 98.7K

$368 COP 1.3M

162.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 CFPF 192.7K

$826 COP 3.0M

128.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 CFPF 160.7K

$716 COP 2.6M

119.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,828 CFPF 900.8K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

201.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,349 CFPF 647.9K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

351.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,442 CFPF 249.2K

$546 COP 2.0M

347.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-55.32%

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

Last update for Papeete: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Papeete versus $487 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 348% 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 $81.0 in Papeete versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $508 vs $190 – 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 125%, 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 $3,494 per month in Papeete and $1,550 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 $81.0 in Papeete and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 167% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Papeete at $2,329. 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.