Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,422 in Fairfax, VA versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,892 in Fairfax, VA versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,361 in Fairfax, VA versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Fairfax, VA is roughly 232% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fairfax, VA is 156% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$6.16 COP 20.1K

221.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$32.60 COP 106.1K

202.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$7.34 COP 23.9K

62.94%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$1.72 COP 5,600

244.19%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.05 COP 3,420

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.77 COP 2,515

202.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$1.69 COP 5,488

260.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$3.17 COP 10.3K

157.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.05 COP 3,423

-12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.30 COP 4,236

183.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$1.40 COP 4,544

344.29%

Eggs

$5.00 $5.00

$2.16 COP 7,047

131.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$4.39 COP 14.3K

295.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$5.88 COP 19.1K

108.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 $16.81

$8.64 COP 28.1K

94.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$2.28 COP 7,426

143.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.11 COP 3,604

62.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.53 COP 4,983

231.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$1.35 COP 4,410

393.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.13 COP 3,674

216.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.13 COP 3,692

141.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.85 COP 2,753

170.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.91 COP 2,975

167.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.57 $10.57

$2.34 COP 7,630

351.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 $13.87

$12.37 COP 40.3K

12.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.20 COP 3,909

118.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.49 COP 8,104

88.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 $4.92

$0.84 COP 2,728

485.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.08 $45.08

$40.57 COP 132.1K

11.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.42 COP 4,623

76.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.92 COP 6,235

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.72 $22.72

$7.66 COP 24.9K

196.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.99 COP 3,223

-15.15%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

60.43%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-1.88%

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

$208 $208

$80.8 COP 263.1K

157.95%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$9.95 COP 32.4K

505.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$24.18 COP 78.7K

202.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 $108

$25.08 COP 81.7K

332.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 $24.62

$19.15 COP 62.3K

28.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$3.98 COP 13.0K

278.14%

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

$1,769 $1,769

$305 COP 993.5K

479.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

412.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-6.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 $51.1

$32.20 COP 104.8K

58.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$101 COP 327.9K

-2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$108 COP 350.8K

32.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 $2,264

$477 COP 1.6M

375.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$376 COP 1.2M

394.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,755 $3,755

$845 COP 2.7M

344.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,984 $2,984

$730 COP 2.4M

308.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,617 $5,617

$3,215 COP 10.5M

74.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,090 $4,090

$1,372 COP 4.5M

198.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,769 $5,769

$617 COP 2.0M

835.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

13.43

-51.01%

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

Last update for Fairfax, VA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,264 in Fairfax, VA and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfax, VA pays 835% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Fairfax, VA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Fairfax, VA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 232% lower than in Fairfax, VA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 835% higher in Fairfax, VA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,264 in Fairfax, VA versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 134% higher in Fairfax, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $99.0 in Fairfax, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,422 in Fairfax, VA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fairfax, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 232% less than in Fairfax, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.