Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,579 in Port Douglas, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Port Douglas, Australia
Medellin, Colombia
Port Douglas
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,579
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Douglas and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Port Douglas and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,579 per month in Port Douglas vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Port Douglas $2,579
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $3,766 per month in Port Douglas vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Port Douglas $3,766
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $4,952 per month in Port Douglas vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Port Douglas $4,952
  • Medellin $3,249

Port Douglas costs about 52% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Port Douglas and Medellin sit above the global median – Port Douglas by 91%, Medellin by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.40 A$24.85
$8.34 COP 26.9K
108.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$96.7 A$138
$46.53 COP 150.1K
107.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.54 A$17.91
$9.47 COP 30.6K
32.42%
Cappuccino
$4.31 A$6.16
$3.13 COP 10.1K
37.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 A$4.57
$1.77 COP 5,700
80.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 A$3.94
$1.42 COP 4,597
94.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.81 A$9.72
$3.15 COP 10.2K
116.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.60 A$12.29
$5.70 COP 18.4K
50.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.86 A$2.66
$1.53 COP 4,946
21.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 A$3.78
$2.29 COP 7,394
15.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.57 A$3.68
$1.94 COP 6,276
32.47%
Eggs
$5.37 A$7.67
$3.07 COP 9,895
74.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.16 A$13.08
$9.99 COP 32.2K
-8.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.75 A$19.64
$10.45 COP 33.7K
31.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.07 A$21.52
$13.96 COP 45.0K
7.95%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 A$5.81
$4.05 COP 13.1K
0.49%
Banana (1kg)
$2.83 A$4.04
$1.53 COP 4,932
84.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.55 A$5.07
$2.10 COP 6,791
69.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.97 A$8.52
$2.29 COP 7,402
160.70%
Potato (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.55
$2.11 COP 6,807
17.54%
Onion (1kg)
$2.61 A$3.73
$1.71 COP 5,515
52.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.75 A$3.93
$1.17 COP 3,776
135.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.62 A$3.75
$1.58 COP 5,099
65.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.42 A$63.4
$3.91 COP 12.6K
1036.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.14 A$20.20
$14.04 COP 45.3K
0.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.54 A$5.05
$1.76 COP 5,685
101.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.20 A$7.43
$2.71 COP 8,752
91.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.79 A$3.98
$1.18 COP 3,807
136.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.0 A$121
$76.3 COP 246.2K
11.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.60 A$3.71
$1.81 COP 5,831
43.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.97 A$2.82
$2.13 COP 6,871
-7.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$42.92 A$61.3
$8.13 COP 26.2K
427.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 A$1.83
$1.28 COP 4,115
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.9K A$41.3K
$34.4K COP 111.1M
-16.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K A$44.8K
$34.1K COP 110.1M
-8.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 A$230
$178 COP 573.5K
-9.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.46 A$50.7
$13.89 COP 44.8K
155.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.5 A$93.6
$30.74 COP 99.2K
113.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.1 A$78.6
$41.94 COP 135.4K
31.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.85 A$25.49
$16.80 COP 54.2K
6.25%
Cinema Ticket
$13.76 A$19.65
$7.47 COP 24.1K
84.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,120 A$3,027
$790 COP 2.5M
168.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K A$20.2K
$12.3K COP 39.7M
15.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.4 A$131
$86.3 COP 278.6K
5.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$72.5 A$104
$59.3 COP 191.2K
22.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 A$178
$138 COP 446.4K
-9.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 A$185
$98.8 COP 318.9K
31.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 A$1,999
$1,341 COP 4.3M
4.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 A$1,747
$667 COP 2.2M
83.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,296 A$3,278
$1,976 COP 6.4M
16.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,804 A$2,576
$1,033 COP 3.3M
74.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,744 A$8,202
$4,098 COP 13.2M
40.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,972 A$7,100
$1,940 COP 6.3M
156.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Douglas
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$646 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.32
10.94
-42.23%

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

Last update for Port Douglas: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Port Douglas
$1.2K
Medellin
$667 45.5% $556
Groceries & Markets
Port Douglas
$411
Medellin
$307 25.2% $104
Eating Out
Port Douglas
$304
Medellin
$173 43.2% $131
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Douglas
$262
Medellin
$222 15.1% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Port Douglas
$188
Medellin
$172 8.5% $16
Getting Around
Port Douglas
$109
Medellin
$93 13.9% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Port Douglas
$83
Medellin
$57 31.1% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,400 in Port Douglas versus $1,341 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Port Douglas versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $307 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Port Douglas
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
02:15 2:15 AM
11:15 11:15 AM
15 h behind Port Douglas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,500
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,613 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Port Douglas Medellin 15,410 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Port Douglas
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Port Douglas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Port Douglas?
Yes – Port Douglas is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,869 per month in Port Douglas and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Port Douglas and Medellin?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,400 in Port Douglas and $1,341 in Medellin. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Is eating out cheaper in Port Douglas or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Port Douglas and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Port Douglas and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,579 in Port Douglas and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 34% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Port Douglas or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Port Douglas at $2,579. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Douglas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Port Douglas or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Medellin is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 34% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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