Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $841 per month in Polokwane vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,285 per month in Polokwane vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Polokwane vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Polokwane is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Polokwane and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Polokwane 37% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 R 163

$6.16 COP 20.1K

60.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.17 R 696

$32.60 COP 106.1K

29.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 80.8

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-33.24%

Cappuccino

$2.15 R 35.41

$1.72 COP 5,599

25.00%

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

$0.80 R 13.21

$1.05 COP 3,420

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.40

$0.77 COP 2,515

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 R 28.42

$1.69 COP 5,487

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 R 32.82

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-37.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R 18.85

$1.05 COP 3,423

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R 15.60

$1.30 COP 4,236

-26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 R 28.26

$1.40 COP 4,544

22.14%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.49

$2.16 COP 7,046

13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 R 118

$4.39 COP 14.3K

63.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R 56.3

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-42.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.63 R 92.9

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-34.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.47

$2.28 COP 7,425

-29.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.21

$1.11 COP 3,603

37.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.10

$1.53 COP 4,982

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.53

$1.35 COP 4,410

23.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.95

$1.13 COP 3,674

33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.38

$1.13 COP 3,692

9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 17.17

$0.85 COP 2,753

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.79

$0.91 COP 2,975

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 R 44.12

$2.34 COP 7,629

14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.77 R 78.7

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-61.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R 17.78

$1.20 COP 3,909

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 R 21.16

$2.49 COP 8,104

-48.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 R 52.4

$0.84 COP 2,727

277.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 R 13.64

$1.42 COP 4,623

-41.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.67

$1.92 COP 6,235

-50.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 R 66.1

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-47.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.73

$0.99 COP 3,223

21.21%

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

$13.8K R 227.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-23.72%

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

$22.0K R 362.8K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-17.43%

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

$120 R 1,981

$80.8 COP 263.1K

48.53%

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

$40.02 R 660

$9.95 COP 32.4K

302.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.66 R 605

$24.18 COP 78.7K

51.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.03 R 364

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-12.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R 121

$3.98 COP 13.0K

84.42%

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

$171 R 2,824

$305 COP 993.4K

-43.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,368 R 22.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-77.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.02 R 545

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-43.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.93 R 560

$32.20 COP 104.8K

5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 R 1,216

$101 COP 327.9K

-26.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 R 1,283

$108 COP 350.8K

-27.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 R 4,144

$477 COP 1.6M

-47.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 R 2,939

$376 COP 1.2M

-52.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 R 6,162

$845 COP 2.7M

-55.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 R 4,540

$730 COP 2.4M

-62.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 R 24.8K

$617 COP 2.0M

143.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

13.43

-14.30%

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

Last update for Polokwane: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Polokwane 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 144% higher in Polokwane, 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 $42.00 in Polokwane versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Polokwane vs $193 in Medellin – so Polokwane 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

Polokwane vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,262 per month in Polokwane 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 Polokwane, 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 $42.00 in Polokwane 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 19% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $841, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polokwane – 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 Polokwane. 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.