Cost of Living Comparison Between Rarotonga and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rarotonga and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,349 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,671 per month in Rarotonga vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Rarotonga costs about 35% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Rarotonga sits 1% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 NZ$20.99

$5.91 COP 18.9K

106.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 NZ$103

$32.96 COP 105.2K

81.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 NZ$12.75

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-0.40%

Cappuccino

$4.40 NZ$7.59

$1.65 COP 5,276

166.67%

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

$3.24 NZ$5.58

$1.10 COP 3,514

194.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 NZ$4.78

$0.78 COP 2,491

255.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 NZ$11.32

$1.72 COP 5,484

281.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 NZ$9.42

$3.18 COP 10.1K

72.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NZ$3.79

$1.10 COP 3,521

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 NZ$5.10

$1.26 COP 4,015

134.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 NZ$2.66

$1.38 COP 4,407

11.59%

Eggs

$6.53 NZ$11.25

$2.18 COP 6,950

199.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.50

$4.49 COP 14.3K

100.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 NZ$12.83

$5.79 COP 18.5K

28.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 NZ$12.30

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-20.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.23

$2.32 COP 7,405

30.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.08

$1.06 COP 3,397

178.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 NZ$6.20

$1.52 COP 4,838

136.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$1.36 COP 4,327

119.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.16

$1.13 COP 3,599

61.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 NZ$2.46

$1.17 COP 3,738

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 NZ$3.17

$0.90 COP 2,876

104.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.36

$0.90 COP 2,861

310.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.19 NZ$26.17

$2.23 COP 7,128

581.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 NZ$19.97

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NZ$6.17

$1.19 COP 3,793

200.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 NZ$9.54

$2.48 COP 7,920

123.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 NZ$5.04

$0.85 COP 2,723

243.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$21.41 NZ$36.89

$1.42 COP 4,518

1407.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NZ$61.5

$7.89 COP 25.2K

352.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 NZ$3.18

$0.99 COP 3,160

86.87%

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

$12.3K NZ$21.2K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

-30.25%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

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

$91.0 NZ$157

$83.0 COP 264.9K

9.66%

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

$30.60 NZ$52.7

$9.70 COP 30.9K

215.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 NZ$178

$23.52 COP 75.0K

340.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.87 NZ$42.85

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-1.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 NZ$42.09

$19.10 COP 60.9K

27.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 NZ$12.01

$3.95 COP 12.6K

76.46%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,456 NZ$2,509

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-75.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 NZ$841

$475 COP 1.5M

2.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 NZ$824

$374 COP 1.2M

27.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 NZ$1,261

$849 COP 2.7M

-13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 NZ$1,237

$719 COP 2.3M

-0.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,049 NZ$6,977

$624 COP 2.0M

548.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-40.43%

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

Last update for Rarotonga: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $488 in Rarotonga versus $475 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 548% higher in Rarotonga, 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 $60.0 in Rarotonga versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $193 – 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

Rarotonga vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rarotonga is pricier by about 35%, 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 $2,023 per month in Rarotonga and $1,504 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.

Groceries cost about 78% more in Rarotonga, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Rarotonga and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Rarotonga at $1,349. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rarotonga 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, Rarotonga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.