Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, AR and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, AR and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,186 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,372 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,559 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Fayetteville, AR costs about 115% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fayetteville, AR sits 63% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 $16.19

$5.95 COP 21.2K

172.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$33.33 COP 118.9K

79.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 $9.10

$7.23 COP 25.8K

25.86%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$1.63 COP 5,811

197.55%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$1.09 COP 3,904

100.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.73 COP 2,604

86.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$1.74 COP 6,197

186.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.23 COP 11.5K

87.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.05 COP 3,742

-8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.29 COP 4,614

169.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.32 COP 4,718

135.61%

Eggs

$2.93 $2.93

$2.27 COP 8,101

29.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$4.35 COP 15.5K

91.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$5.88 COP 21.0K

46.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$8.61 COP 30.7K

54.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.25 COP 8,015

103.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.07 COP 3,814

29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.52 COP 5,438

73.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.42 COP 5,073

180.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.17 COP 4,173

61.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.17 COP 4,166

115.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.89 COP 3,163

64.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.90 COP 3,215

115.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 $8.41

$2.25 COP 8,008

273.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$11.04 COP 39.4K

38.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.14 COP 4,063

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.38 COP 8,483

-8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.84 COP 2,979

139.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.41 COP 5,019

73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.90 COP 6,779

-32.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.15 $24.15

$7.75 COP 27.6K

211.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.01 COP 3,586

-21.78%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

35.94%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

-3.10%

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

$174 $174

$83.7 COP 298.4K

108.41%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$9.45 COP 33.7K

456.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$24.11 COP 86.0K

161.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 $71.0

$25.31 COP 90.3K

180.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 $12.70

$4.10 COP 14.6K

209.76%

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

$1,045 $1,045

$312 COP 1.1M

234.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K $18.6K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

210.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-8.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.05 $42.05

$32.56 COP 116.1K

29.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$99.6 COP 355.3K

2.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$109 COP 387.1K

3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$482 COP 1.7M

217.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$379 COP 1.4M

173.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 $2,800

$837 COP 3.0M

234.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 $2,106

$723 COP 2.6M

191.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,619 $2,619

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-7.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,188 $2,188

$1,223 COP 4.4M

78.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,593 $3,593

$541 COP 1.9M

564.22%

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 Fayetteville, AR: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,530 in Fayetteville, AR versus $482 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 564% higher in Fayetteville, AR, 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 $60.0 in Fayetteville, AR versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $190 – 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

Fayetteville, AR vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,186 in Fayetteville, AR, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 115% apart. Fayetteville, AR costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,279 per month in Fayetteville, AR and $1,525 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 $60.0 in Fayetteville, AR and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Fayetteville, AR, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Fayetteville, AR at $2,186. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fayetteville, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Medellin to $2,186 in Fayetteville, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Fayetteville, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.