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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,355 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,003 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,650 per month in Rarotonga vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Rarotonga costs about 32% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Rarotonga sits 1% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 NZ$20.50

$5.92 COP 21.2K

104.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 NZ$100

$33.17 COP 118.7K

79.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 NZ$13.04

$7.25 COP 25.9K

6.48%

Cappuccino

$4.42 NZ$7.48

$1.71 COP 6,137

158.48%

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

$3.42 NZ$5.77

$1.09 COP 3,915

213.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NZ$4.88

$0.77 COP 2,743

275.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 NZ$11.28

$1.75 COP 6,254

281.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 NZ$9.34

$3.18 COP 11.4K

73.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NZ$3.72

$1.06 COP 3,792

107.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 NZ$4.84

$1.30 COP 4,657

120.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 NZ$2.51

$1.38 COP 4,926

7.97%

Eggs

$6.48 NZ$10.95

$2.21 COP 7,908

193.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.02

$4.52 COP 16.2K

96.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 NZ$11.92

$5.80 COP 20.7K

21.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 NZ$12.09

$8.97 COP 32.1K

-20.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.15

$2.29 COP 8,182

33.19%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.12

$1.06 COP 3,791

185.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 NZ$6.21

$1.51 COP 5,411

143.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$4.97

$1.36 COP 4,869

116.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.01

$1.16 COP 4,146

53.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 NZ$2.33

$1.17 COP 4,174

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 NZ$2.97

$0.83 COP 2,960

112.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.23

$0.85 COP 3,043

334.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.84 NZ$25.07

$2.35 COP 8,423

531.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 NZ$20.19

$11.09 COP 39.7K

7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.01

$1.15 COP 4,133

209.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 NZ$9.22

$2.47 COP 8,853

121.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 NZ$5.00

$0.79 COP 2,827

274.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.86 NZ$35.26

$1.44 COP 5,140

1348.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.20 NZ$61.2

$7.70 COP 27.6K

370.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.15

$1.03 COP 3,680

80.58%

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

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

-30.53%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

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

$92.0 NZ$155

$81.4 COP 291.4K

12.95%

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

$30.46 NZ$51.5

$9.42 COP 33.7K

223.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 NZ$178

$23.77 COP 85.1K

341.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.30 NZ$42.76

$25.86 COP 92.6K

-2.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 NZ$40.28

$19.34 COP 69.2K

23.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 NZ$12.05

$4.05 COP 14.5K

76.05%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,433 NZ$2,422

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-76.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 NZ$829

$490 COP 1.8M

0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 NZ$801

$371 COP 1.3M

27.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 NZ$1,214

$838 COP 3.0M

-14.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NZ$1,220

$715 COP 2.6M

0.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,055 NZ$6,853

$532 COP 1.9M

662.23%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Rarotonga versus $490 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 662% 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 $59 in Rarotonga versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $190 – 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 32%, 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 $2,033 per month in Rarotonga and $1,544 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 79% 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 $59.0 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 $1,030, than in Rarotonga at $1,355. 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.