Cost of Living Comparison Between Whakatane and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Whakatane and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,832 per month in Whakatane vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,798 per month in Whakatane vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Whakatane vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Whakatane costs about 83% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Whakatane sits 38% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.32 NZ$25.96

$5.91 COP 18.6K

159.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 NZ$123

$32.96 COP 103.8K

120.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 NZ$15.72

$7.43 COP 23.4K

24.90%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.84

$1.65 COP 5,207

109.09%

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

$2.25 NZ$3.82

$1.10 COP 3,468

104.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NZ$3.90

$0.78 COP 2,458

194.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.75 NZ$11.45

$1.72 COP 5,412

292.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 NZ$11.48

$3.18 COP 10.0K

112.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 NZ$3.07

$1.10 COP 3,474

64.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 NZ$1.70

$1.26 COP 3,962

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$1.38 COP 4,349

41.30%

Eggs

$5.82 NZ$9.86

$2.18 COP 6,858

166.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 NZ$12.66

$4.49 COP 14.1K

66.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 NZ$16.05

$5.79 COP 18.2K

63.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.93 NZ$21.91

$8.97 COP 28.2K

44.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 NZ$4.47

$2.32 COP 7,308

13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.76

$1.06 COP 3,352

109.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 NZ$5.70

$1.52 COP 4,774

121.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 NZ$6.78

$1.36 COP 4,270

194.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$1.13 COP 3,552

76.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$1.17 COP 3,689

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NZ$3.18

$0.90 COP 2,838

108.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.00

$0.90 COP 2,823

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.83 NZ$42.09

$2.23 COP 7,034

1013.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 NZ$14.93

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-27.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 NZ$2.60

$1.19 COP 3,743

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$2.48 COP 7,815

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 NZ$3.67

$0.85 COP 2,687

154.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 NZ$111

$41.62 COP 131.0K

56.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 NZ$3.59

$1.42 COP 4,459

49.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.35

$1.95 COP 6,141

1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.57 NZ$60.3

$7.89 COP 24.8K

350.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.86

$0.99 COP 3,118

70.71%

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

$28.9K NZ$49.0K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

64.06%

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

$9,632 NZ$16.3K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-64.06%

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

$125 NZ$212

$83.0 COP 261.4K

50.72%

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

$30.71 NZ$52.1

$9.70 COP 30.5K

216.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.10 NZ$81.5

$23.52 COP 74.1K

104.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 NZ$63.2

$25.26 COP 79.5K

47.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 NZ$20.20

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-37.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 NZ$15.26

$3.95 COP 12.4K

127.85%

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

$892 NZ$1,512

$316 COP 994.2K

182.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.4K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

131.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 NZ$118

$60.0 COP 188.9K

15.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.58 NZ$75.6

$31.82 COP 100.2K

40.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 NZ$154

$102 COP 320.1K

-10.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 NZ$215

$107 COP 338.3K

18.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,623

$475 COP 1.5M

101.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,321

$374 COP 1.2M

108.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 NZ$2,675

$849 COP 2.7M

85.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 NZ$2,462

$719 COP 2.3M

101.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,759 NZ$8,068

$3,265 COP 10.3M

45.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,327 NZ$5,639

$1,441 COP 4.5M

130.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,090 NZ$6,933

$624 COP 2.0M

554.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

13.43

-52.57%

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

Last update for Whakatane: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Whakatane 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 555% higher in Whakatane, 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 $73.0 in Whakatane versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 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

Whakatane vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Whakatane is pricier by about 83%, 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 $2,748 per month in Whakatane 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Whakatane 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 $1,832 in Whakatane and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Whakatane at $1,832. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Whakatane 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, Whakatane makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.