Cost of Living Comparison Between Pietermaritzburg and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pietermaritzburg and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,061 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Pietermaritzburg costs about 5% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Pietermaritzburg and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pietermaritzburg 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.32 R 135

$5.99 COP 21.4K

38.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.99 R 699

$32.86 COP 117.4K

30.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 R 93.6

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-18.76%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R 36.35

$1.71 COP 6,115

30.99%

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

$0.88 R 14.31

$1.10 COP 3,924

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 R 11.20

$0.78 COP 2,781

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 R 27.13

$1.68 COP 5,997

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R 38.12

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-23.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 17.04

$1.09 COP 3,906

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 R 13.06

$1.26 COP 4,508

-36.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.33

$1.38 COP 4,922

8.70%

Eggs

$2.35 R 38.19

$2.19 COP 7,827

7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 R 114

$4.40 COP 15.7K

58.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 R 76.5

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-16.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 R 111

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-23.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.91

$2.34 COP 8,349

-29.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.61

$1.06 COP 3,777

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 R 31.58

$1.50 COP 5,374

29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.20

$1.38 COP 4,924

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.11

$1.15 COP 4,111

33.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.64

$1.16 COP 4,155

51.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 R 21.06

$0.89 COP 3,182

46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.19

$0.84 COP 2,997

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R 47.55

$2.28 COP 8,145

28.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.55 R 57.6

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-66.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R 23.27

$1.20 COP 4,284

19.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 28.92

$2.47 COP 8,824

-27.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 R 44.44

$0.86 COP 3,056

217.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.34 R 298

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-55.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.48

$1.47 COP 5,264

14.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 R 8.49

$1.96 COP 7,009

-73.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 R 64.7

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-48.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.47

$0.95 COP 3,409

26.32%

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

$23.4K R 380.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

29.11%

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

$22.9K R 371.7K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-13.64%

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

$238 R 3,861

$82.3 COP 293.7K

188.90%

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

$30.61 R 497

$9.50 COP 33.9K

222.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 R 948

$24.23 COP 86.5K

140.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 R 618

$25.89 COP 92.4K

46.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 R 80.3

$3.93 COP 14.0K

25.70%

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

$148 R 2,401

$309 COP 1.1M

-52.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,723 R 76.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-20.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 R 1,011

$58.7 COP 209.5K

6.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 R 615

$32.35 COP 115.5K

16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 R 2,885

$103 COP 366.4K

73.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.4 R 1,226

$108 COP 387.2K

-30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 R 3,280

$476 COP 1.7M

-57.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 R 2,986

$379 COP 1.4M

-51.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 R 8,492

$838 COP 3.0M

-37.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 R 6,161

$724 COP 2.6M

-47.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$916 R 14.9K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-67.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$442 R 7,187

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-63.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R 14.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

79.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.43

-14.37%

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

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $202 in Pietermaritzburg versus $476 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 80% higher in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Pietermaritzburg vs $188 in Medellin – so Pietermaritzburg 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

Pietermaritzburg vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pietermaritzburg is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,591 per month in Pietermaritzburg and $1,519 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg 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 $1,061 in Pietermaritzburg and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Pietermaritzburg at $1,061. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pietermaritzburg 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pietermaritzburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.