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: $712 in Fiji versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Fiji versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,670 in Fiji versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Fiji costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fiji 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 FJD 9.73

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-25.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.29 FJD 99.3

$32.86 COP 117.4K

37.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 FJD 17.12

$7.09 COP 25.3K

10.16%

Cappuccino

$2.26 FJD 4.96

$1.71 COP 6,115

32.16%

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

$1.36 FJD 2.97

$1.10 COP 3,924

23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 FJD 2.61

$0.78 COP 2,781

52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 FJD 6.47

$1.68 COP 5,997

75.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 FJD 7.23

$3.07 COP 11.0K

7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 FJD 2.81

$1.09 COP 3,906

17.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 FJD 1.52

$1.26 COP 4,508

-45.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 FJD 3.34

$1.38 COP 4,922

10.14%

Eggs

$2.22 FJD 4.87

$2.19 COP 7,827

1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 FJD 23.26

$4.40 COP 15.7K

141.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 FJD 8.05

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-34.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.28 FJD 4.99

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-74.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 FJD 3.86

$2.34 COP 8,349

-24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 FJD 3.37

$1.06 COP 3,777

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 FJD 4.48

$1.50 COP 5,374

36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 FJD 3.80

$1.38 COP 4,924

25.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 FJD 3.26

$1.15 COP 4,111

29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 FJD 3.12

$1.16 COP 4,155

22.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 FJD 2.06

$0.89 COP 3,182

5.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.76

$0.84 COP 2,997

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 FJD 24.14

$2.28 COP 8,145

382.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 FJD 14.19

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-39.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 FJD 6.13

$1.20 COP 4,284

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 FJD 5.41

$2.47 COP 8,824

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 FJD 1.99

$0.86 COP 3,056

5.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 FJD 2.41

$1.47 COP 5,264

-25.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 FJD 2.88

$0.95 COP 3,409

37.89%

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

$45.5K FJD 99.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

150.75%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$53.0 FJD 116

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-35.53%

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

$13.41 FJD 29.41

$9.50 COP 33.9K

41.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 FJD 38.59

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-27.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 FJD 48.23

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-15.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.50 FJD 9.87

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-76.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 FJD 8.76

$3.93 COP 14.0K

1.53%

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

$44.29 FJD 97.1

$309 COP 1.1M

-85.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.39 FJD 18.41

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-85.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.43 FJD 64.6

$103 COP 366.4K

-71.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 FJD 1,461

$476 COP 1.7M

39.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 FJD 591

$379 COP 1.4M

-28.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 FJD 2,421

$838 COP 3.0M

31.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 FJD 1,331

$724 COP 2.6M

-16.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,298 FJD 2,846

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-53.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,344 FJD 2,947

$1,211 COP 4.3M

10.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 FJD 1,203

$512 COP 1.8M

7.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-55.32%

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

Last update for Fiji: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Fiji and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fiji pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Fiji vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $188, with Fiji cheaper for home cooking.

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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Fiji pays 7% more on average, 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: $666 in Fiji versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $712 per month in Fiji versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $712 in Fiji versus $1,013 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 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.