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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,364 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,668 per month in Rarotonga vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Rarotonga sits 2% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 NZ$21.19

$5.99 COP 21.5K

105.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 NZ$103

$32.86 COP 117.9K

81.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 NZ$12.81

$7.09 COP 25.5K

4.94%

Cappuccino

$4.41 NZ$7.60

$1.71 COP 6,146

157.89%

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

$3.29 NZ$5.67

$1.10 COP 3,944

199.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 NZ$4.89

$0.78 COP 2,795

264.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 NZ$11.26

$1.68 COP 6,028

289.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 NZ$9.25

$3.07 COP 11.0K

74.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 NZ$3.83

$1.09 COP 3,925

103.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 NZ$5.02

$1.26 COP 4,530

130.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 NZ$2.65

$1.38 COP 4,947

11.59%

Eggs

$6.66 NZ$11.47

$2.19 COP 7,867

204.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 NZ$15.49

$4.40 COP 15.8K

104.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 NZ$12.69

$5.63 COP 20.2K

30.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 NZ$12.53

$8.89 COP 31.9K

-18.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 NZ$5.24

$2.34 COP 8,391

29.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$1.06 COP 3,796

182.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 NZ$6.27

$1.50 COP 5,401

142.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.16

$1.38 COP 4,949

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.16

$1.15 COP 4,132

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 NZ$2.44

$1.16 COP 4,176

21.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 NZ$3.03

$0.89 COP 3,198

97.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 NZ$6.14

$0.84 COP 3,012

325.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.90 NZ$25.67

$2.28 COP 8,186

553.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.91 NZ$20.52

$10.64 COP 38.2K

11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.31

$1.20 COP 4,305

205.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 NZ$9.22

$2.47 COP 8,869

116.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 NZ$5.16

$0.86 COP 3,072

247.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$21.05 NZ$36.27

$1.47 COP 5,290

1331.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,045

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.47 NZ$61.1

$7.74 COP 27.8K

358.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.21

$0.95 COP 3,426

95.79%

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

$12.0K NZ$20.7K

$18.1K COP 65.1M

-33.77%

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

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

$91.0 NZ$157

$82.3 COP 295.2K

10.69%

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

$29.94 NZ$51.6

$9.50 COP 34.1K

215.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 NZ$178

$24.23 COP 87.0K

326.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.41 NZ$43.78

$25.89 COP 92.9K

-1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.98 NZ$41.32

$19.00 COP 68.2K

26.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 NZ$11.91

$3.93 COP 14.1K

75.83%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,456 NZ$2,508

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-75.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 NZ$829

$476 COP 1.7M

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 NZ$826

$379 COP 1.4M

26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 NZ$1,269

$838 COP 3.0M

-12.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 NZ$1,233

$724 COP 2.6M

-1.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,156 NZ$7,159

$512 COP 1.8M

711.99%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Rarotonga versus $476 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 712% 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 $188 – 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 $2,046 per month in Rarotonga and $1,519 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 82% 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 $1,013, than in Rarotonga at $1,364. 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.