Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wollongong and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,467 in Wollongong, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Wollongong, Australia
Medellin, Colombia
Wollongong
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,467
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wollongong and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wollongong and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,467 per month in Wollongong vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Wollongong $2,467
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $3,619 per month in Wollongong vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Wollongong $3,619
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $4,772 per month in Wollongong vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Wollongong $4,772
  • Medellin $3,186

Wollongong costs about 50% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Wollongong and Medellin sit above the global median – Wollongong by 81%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.38 A$24.62
$8.09 COP 25.6K
114.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.8 A$119
$47.05 COP 148.9K
78.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 A$15.10
$9.50 COP 30.1K
12.21%
Cappuccino
$3.47 A$4.92
$3.01 COP 9,540
15.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 A$4.30
$1.80 COP 5,693
68.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 A$3.23
$1.41 COP 4,469
61.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.17 A$10.16
$3.18 COP 10.0K
125.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.05 A$9.99
$5.75 COP 18.2K
22.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 A$1.68
$1.51 COP 4,778
-21.19%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 A$4.21
$2.38 COP 7,524
24.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 A$3.13
$1.77 COP 5,606
24.86%
Eggs
$3.96 A$5.61
$2.89 COP 9,146
37.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.35 A$14.66
$10.19 COP 32.2K
1.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.43 A$13.36
$9.87 COP 31.2K
-4.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.68 A$22.22
$13.99 COP 44.3K
12.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.91 A$4.12
$3.97 COP 12.6K
-26.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.54 A$3.60
$1.55 COP 4,911
63.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.34 A$4.73
$2.18 COP 6,907
53.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.71 A$6.67
$2.18 COP 6,910
116.06%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 A$3.28
$1.96 COP 6,210
17.86%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 A$3.66
$1.59 COP 5,029
62.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.54 A$3.59
$1.15 COP 3,625
120.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 A$1.90
$1.24 COP 3,934
8.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.34 A$64.2
$3.96 COP 12.5K
1044.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.90 A$19.70
$13.68 COP 43.3K
1.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.48 A$6.35
$1.66 COP 5,252
169.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.90
$2.26 COP 7,145
115.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 A$3.32
$1.17 COP 3,696
100.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$138 A$196
$77.4 COP 244.8K
78.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 A$5.64
$1.27 COP 4,013
213.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 A$2.21
$2.05 COP 6,480
-23.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.53 A$61.7
$8.55 COP 27.1K
409.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 A$1.89
$1.35 COP 4,262
-1.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K A$40.4K
$34.1K COP 107.8M
-16.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K A$35.1K
$34.7K COP 109.7M
-28.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$186 A$263
$170 COP 536.8K
9.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.37 A$37.36
$13.55 COP 42.9K
94.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.87 A$70.7
$28.07 COP 88.8K
77.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.3 A$86.9
$43.70 COP 138.3K
40.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.78 A$19.52
$17.19 COP 54.4K
-19.84%
Cinema Ticket
$13.51 A$19.14
$6.91 COP 21.9K
95.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,193 A$3,107
$797 COP 2.5M
175.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.3K A$28.7K
$9,112 COP 28.8M
122.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8 A$100
$84.7 COP 268.1K
-16.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 A$79.0
$58.0 COP 183.4K
-3.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 A$151
$135 COP 427.1K
-21.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 A$156
$97.9 COP 309.7K
12.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 A$1,984
$1,208 COP 3.8M
15.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,162 A$1,646
$642 COP 2.0M
81.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,398 A$3,397
$2,028 COP 6.4M
18.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,833 A$2,597
$1,012 COP 3.2M
81.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,469 A$6,330
$4,170 COP 13.2M
7.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,568 A$5,055
$1,910 COP 6.0M
86.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wollongong
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,107 A$7,234
$657 COP 2.1M
677.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.23
10.94
-52.19%

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

Last update for Wollongong: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Wollongong
$1.2K
Medellin
$642 44.8% $520
Groceries & Markets
Wollongong
$357
Medellin
$297 16.7% $60
Eating Out
Wollongong
$284
Medellin
$170 40.3% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wollongong
$262
Medellin
$211 19.4% $51
Getting Around
Wollongong
$159
Medellin
$94 41.3% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Wollongong
$155
Medellin
$169 9.4% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Wollongong
$88
Medellin
$58 34.9% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,400 in Wollongong versus $1,208 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 in Wollongong are about 7.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Wollongong versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Wollongong
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
22:58 10:58 PM
06:58 6:58 AM
16 h behind Wollongong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
280,153
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.706 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.633 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,531 COP (10,000 COP = 2.83 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Wollongong Medellin 14,320 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Wollongong
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Wollongong vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Wollongong?
Yes – Wollongong is pricier by about 50%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,700 per month in Wollongong and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,400 in Wollongong.
Is eating out cheaper in Wollongong or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Wollongong and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Wollongong and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,467 in Wollongong and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 34% cheaper.
Is Wollongong or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wollongong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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