Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Faro and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,918 in Faro, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Faro outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Faro, Portugal
Medellin, Colombia
Faro
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,918
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Faro 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 Faro and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,918 per month in Faro vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Faro $1,918
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $2,985 per month in Faro vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Faro $2,985
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $4,052 per month in Faro vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Faro $4,052
  • Medellin $3,186

Faro costs about 17% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Faro and Medellin sit above the global median – Faro by 41%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Faro
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.23 €11.80
$8.09 COP 26.1K
63.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.54 €39.74
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-5.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$9.50 COP 30.7K
16.42%
Cappuccino
$1.90 €1.70
$3.01 COP 9,734
-36.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 €2.09
$1.80 COP 5,809
30.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.48
$1.41 COP 4,560
17.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.73 €2.44
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-14.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.26
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-56.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Faro
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.51 COP 4,875
-30.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 €1.30
$2.38 COP 7,677
-38.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.77 COP 5,719
-2.26%
Eggs
$3.54 €3.16
$2.89 COP 9,332
22.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.56 €12.10
$10.19 COP 32.9K
33.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.08 €5.42
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-38.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.50 €10.26
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-17.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.57 €2.29
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-35.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 €1.12
$1.55 COP 5,011
-18.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.57 €1.40
$2.18 COP 7,047
-27.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$2.18 COP 7,050
15.14%
Potato (1kg)
$3.17 €2.83
$1.96 COP 6,336
61.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 €1.86
$1.59 COP 5,131
30.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 €1.25
$1.15 COP 3,698
21.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 €0.99
$1.24 COP 4,014
-10.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 €5.67
$3.96 COP 12.8K
60.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.05 €4.51
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-63.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 €0.86
$1.66 COP 5,359
-42.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 €3.03
$2.26 COP 7,290
50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Faro
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.20 €2.86
$1.17 COP 3,770
173.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.94 €32.96
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-52.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.61 €3.22
$1.27 COP 4,094
184.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 €1.02
$2.05 COP 6,611
-44.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.12 €18.84
$8.55 COP 27.6K
147.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.35 COP 4,348
57.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.1K
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-0.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K €33.6K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
8.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Faro
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$109 €97.5
$170 COP 547.7K
-35.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.54 €17.43
$13.55 COP 43.7K
44.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.75 €31.01
$28.07 COP 90.6K
23.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Faro
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.89 €35.59
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-8.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.90 €18.65
$17.19 COP 55.5K
21.58%
Cinema Ticket
$11.33 €10.11
$6.91 COP 22.3K
63.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Faro
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$465 €415
$797 COP 2.6M
-41.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K €9,761
$9,112 COP 29.4M
20.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Faro
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 €64.2
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-15.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.31 €38.64
$58.0 COP 187.1K
-25.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 €95.0
$135 COP 435.7K
-21.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 €89.7
$97.9 COP 316.0K
2.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Faro
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 €1,160
$1,208 COP 3.9M
7.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,046 €933
$642 COP 2.1M
63.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,306 €2,057
$2,028 COP 6.5M
13.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,081 €1,856
$1,012 COP 3.3M
105.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,162 €4,606
$4,170 COP 13.5M
23.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,630 €3,239
$1,910 COP 6.2M
90.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Faro
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,330 €1,186
$657 COP 2.1M
102.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.57
10.94
-67.37%

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

Last update for Faro: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Faro
$1K
Medellin
$642 38.7% $404
Groceries & Markets
Faro
$245
Medellin
$297 21.1% $52
Eating Out
Faro
$197
Medellin
$170 13.7% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Faro
$164
Medellin
$211 29.2% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Faro
$145
Medellin
$169 16.5% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Faro
$63
Medellin
$58 8% $5
Getting Around
Faro
$59
Medellin
$94 58.4% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,301 in Faro 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 Faro are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Faro versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $297 – making Faro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Faro
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
12:12 12:12 PM
07:12 7:12 AM
5 h behind Faro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
67,650
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Faro Medellin 7,610 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Faro
  • 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
Faro vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Faro?
Yes – Faro is pricier by about 17%, 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 $2,877 per month in Faro and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Faro and Medellin?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,301 in Faro and $1,208 in Medellin. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Faro and $797 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Faro and in Medellin?
Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Faro – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Is $2,500 enough for either Faro or Medellin?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,918 in Faro and $1,639 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,639 versus $1,918 in Faro. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
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, Faro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Faro vs other spots: cost of living compared

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