Cost of Living Comparison Between Fiji and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fiji and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $729 in Fiji versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in Fiji versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,657 in Fiji versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Fiji costs roughly 58% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fiji is 47% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 FJD 9.76

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-44.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 FJD 70.9

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-32.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 FJD 14.59

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-31.93%

Cappuccino

$2.48 FJD 5.43

$2.91 COP 9,167

-14.78%

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

$1.37 FJD 3.00

$1.94 COP 6,122

-29.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 FJD 2.28

$1.52 COP 4,792

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 FJD 9.23

$3.09 COP 9,740

36.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 FJD 9.15

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 FJD 2.73

$1.36 COP 4,296

-8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.24 FJD 0.52

$2.39 COP 7,519

-89.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 FJD 2.07

$1.70 COP 5,356

-44.71%

Eggs

$3.22 FJD 7.06

$2.87 COP 9,038

12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 FJD 24.08

$9.94 COP 31.3K

10.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 FJD 12.16

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-48.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 FJD 2.92

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-67.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 FJD 2.09

$1.57 COP 4,950

-39.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 FJD 4.10

$2.13 COP 6,695

-12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 FJD 2.97

$2.21 COP 6,972

-38.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 FJD 1.57

$2.05 COP 6,447

-64.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 FJD 1.54

$1.50 COP 4,737

-53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 FJD 1.91

$1.19 COP 3,747

-26.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 FJD 1.24

$1.16 COP 3,647

-51.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 FJD 24.91

$3.90 COP 12.3K

191.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 FJD 13.72

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-56.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 FJD 9.20

$1.58 COP 4,987

165.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 FJD 8.92

$2.83 COP 8,905

43.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 FJD 2.07

$1.17 COP 3,679

-18.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 FJD 2.56

$1.28 COP 4,045

-8.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 FJD 2.97

$1.30 COP 4,088

4.62%

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

$46.4K FJD 101.8K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

67.86%

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

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

$55.1 FJD 121

$176 COP 554.5K

-68.73%

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

$13.80 FJD 30.28

$13.37 COP 42.1K

3.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.87 FJD 39.19

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-40.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.74 FJD 49.88

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-49.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.59 FJD 10.07

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-73.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 FJD 9.16

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-32.58%

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

$46.38 FJD 102

$793 COP 2.5M

-94.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.55 FJD 42.89

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-77.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.69 FJD 67.3

$136 COP 429.3K

-77.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 FJD 1,519

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 FJD 599

$680 COP 2.1M

-59.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 FJD 2,505

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-43.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 FJD 1,354

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-47.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 FJD 2,896

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-67.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,321 FJD 2,898

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-22.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 FJD 1,211

$665 COP 2.1M

-17.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-45.16%

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

Last update for Fiji: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Fiji and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 21% 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: $32.00 in Fiji vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $303 per month, with Fiji 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

Fiji vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Fiji versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $729 per month in Fiji versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $729 in Fiji versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fiji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fiji and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.