Cost of Living Comparison Between Thames and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Thames and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,093 per month in Thames vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,161 per month in Thames vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,228 per month in Thames vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Thames costs about 22% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thames and Medellin sit above the global median – Thames by 52%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.47

$8.03 COP 25.3K

85.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.9 NZ$123

$48.26 COP 152.0K

48.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 NZ$17.33

$9.77 COP 30.8K

3.79%

Cappuccino

$3.54 NZ$6.06

$2.91 COP 9,167

21.65%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$1.94 COP 6,122

9.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$1.52 COP 4,792

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 NZ$12.45

$3.09 COP 9,740

135.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 NZ$12.21

$5.74 COP 18.1K

24.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$1.36 COP 4,296

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NZ$4.06

$2.39 COP 7,519

-0.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.34

$1.70 COP 5,356

15.29%

Eggs

$6.55 NZ$11.20

$2.87 COP 9,038

128.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 NZ$15.00

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-11.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 NZ$17.13

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 NZ$29.70

$14.73 COP 46.4K

17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.02

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-28.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.77

$1.57 COP 4,950

40.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.34

$2.13 COP 6,695

46.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 NZ$9.81

$2.21 COP 6,972

159.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.00

$2.05 COP 6,447

14.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.05

$1.50 COP 4,737

18.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 NZ$3.43

$1.19 COP 3,747

68.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$1.16 COP 3,647

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.95 NZ$49.46

$3.90 COP 12.3K

642.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 NZ$18.41

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-25.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 NZ$5.19

$1.58 COP 4,987

92.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 NZ$6.21

$2.83 COP 8,905

28.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 NZ$3.05

$1.17 COP 3,679

52.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 NZ$145

$77.7 COP 244.8K

8.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 NZ$4.06

$1.28 COP 4,045

85.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$2.09 COP 6,589

-0.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.66 NZ$57.5

$8.62 COP 27.1K

290.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$1.30 COP 4,088

53.08%

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

$26.6K NZ$45.5K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-3.72%

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

$23.8K NZ$40.6K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-33.09%

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

$192 NZ$328

$176 COP 554.5K

8.87%

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

$27.79 NZ$47.49

$13.37 COP 42.1K

107.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 NZ$91.5

$29.89 COP 94.1K

79.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.98 NZ$66.6

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-12.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$14.25 NZ$24.35

$6.20 COP 19.5K

129.84%

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

$1,192 NZ$2,038

$793 COP 2.5M

50.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K NZ$36.0K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

133.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 NZ$139

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-4.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.76 NZ$74.8

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-25.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 NZ$157

$136 COP 429.3K

-32.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 NZ$204

$103 COP 324.7K

15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 NZ$1,725

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 NZ$1,630

$680 COP 2.1M

40.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,546 NZ$2,641

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-23.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 NZ$2,612

$1,169 COP 3.7M

30.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,633 NZ$9,625

$4,111 COP 12.9M

37.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,440 NZ$5,878

$1,701 COP 5.4M

102.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

10.94

-50.73%

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

Last update for Thames: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,010 in Thames versus $1,060 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 $72.0 in Thames versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $303 – 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

Thames vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thames is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,139 per month in Thames and $2,574 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 $72.0 in Thames and $48.00 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 $2,093 in Thames and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Thames at $2,093. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thames 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, Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.