Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,167 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,532 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Port Elizabeth costs about 13% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Port Elizabeth and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 13% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 R 146

$6.16 COP 20.0K

44.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.06 R 724

$32.60 COP 106.0K

35.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 R 88.2

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-26.98%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R 35.22

$1.72 COP 5,592

24.42%

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

$1.14 R 18.70

$1.05 COP 3,416

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.38

$0.77 COP 2,511

29.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 42.11

$1.69 COP 5,480

51.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 R 49.69

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-4.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.40

$1.05 COP 3,418

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R 15.67

$1.30 COP 4,230

-26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.63

$1.40 COP 4,538

7.14%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.30

$2.16 COP 7,037

13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R 128

$4.39 COP 14.3K

77.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 R 78.0

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.03 R 132

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.89

$2.28 COP 7,415

-28.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.40

$1.11 COP 3,599

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.82

$1.53 COP 4,976

6.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.72

$1.35 COP 4,405

20.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.55

$1.13 COP 3,669

37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.45

$1.13 COP 3,687

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 R 19.29

$0.85 COP 2,749

37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.57

$0.91 COP 2,971

10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 R 48.41

$2.34 COP 7,619

26.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 R 79.8

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R 18.09

$1.20 COP 3,904

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.20

$2.49 COP 8,094

-30.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 R 18.61

$0.84 COP 2,724

34.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 R 563

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-15.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 R 43.87

$1.42 COP 4,617

88.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 R 7.42

$1.92 COP 6,227

-76.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 R 131

$7.66 COP 24.9K

3.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.83

$0.99 COP 3,219

28.28%

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

$23.9K R 393.4K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

32.73%

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

$25.8K R 423.5K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-3.24%

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

$114 R 1,879

$80.8 COP 262.7K

41.42%

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

$31.86 R 524

$9.95 COP 32.3K

220.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.72 R 735

$24.18 COP 78.6K

84.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.14 R 479

$25.08 COP 81.5K

16.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.28 R 350

$19.15 COP 62.3K

11.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 R 160

$3.98 COP 13.0K

144.47%

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

$168 R 2,763

$305 COP 992.2K

-44.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,835 R 79.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-20.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 R 1,105

$58.1 COP 189.0K

15.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.20 R 612

$32.20 COP 104.7K

15.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 R 1,588

$101 COP 327.5K

-4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 R 1,462

$108 COP 350.3K

-17.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R 9,602

$477 COP 1.5M

22.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 R 7,192

$376 COP 1.2M

16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 R 18.0K

$845 COP 2.7M

29.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 R 14.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

19.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 R 12.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-76.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 R 8,636

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-61.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,623 R 26.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

163.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

13.43

-10.35%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $584 in Port Elizabeth 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 163% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Port Elizabeth vs $193 in Medellin – so Port Elizabeth 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

Port Elizabeth vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Elizabeth is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,750 per month in Port Elizabeth 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 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth 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 $1,167 in Port Elizabeth and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,167. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth 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, Port Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.