Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,457 per month in Florence vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,812 per month in Florence vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,167 per month in Florence vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Florence costs about 43% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Florence and Medellin sit above the global median – Florence by 79%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.22 €24.34

$8.03 COP 25.3K

251.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 €69.4

$48.26 COP 152.3K

66.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.87 €12.83

$9.77 COP 30.8K

52.20%

Cappuccino

$2.29 €1.98

$2.91 COP 9,185

-21.31%

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

$3.28 €2.83

$1.94 COP 6,134

69.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.52 COP 4,801

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 €5.88

$3.09 COP 9,759

120.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 €7.03

$5.74 COP 18.1K

41.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.36 COP 4,304

39.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.39 COP 7,534

9.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 €2.53

$1.70 COP 5,366

72.35%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

$2.87 COP 9,056

64.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 €23.00

$9.94 COP 31.4K

168.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.79 €11.03

$10.78 COP 34.0K

18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.99 €23.28

$14.73 COP 46.5K

83.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 €2.58

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-26.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$1.57 COP 4,960

70.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 €2.99

$2.13 COP 6,708

62.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$2.21 COP 6,985

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.05 COP 6,460

14.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.50 COP 4,747

32.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.19 COP 3,755

59.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.16 COP 3,654

-42.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 €6.71

$3.90 COP 12.3K

99.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 €7.20

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-42.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.58 COP 4,997

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.83 COP 8,923

11.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.17 COP 3,686

73.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.19

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-41.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 €3.33

$1.28 COP 4,054

201.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.09

$2.09 COP 6,602

-39.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.62 €27.27

$8.62 COP 27.2K

266.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.30 COP 4,096

60.00%

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

$37.3K €32.2K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

34.86%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

4.11%

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

$242 €208

$176 COP 555.6K

37.28%

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

$12.43 €10.72

$13.37 COP 42.2K

-7.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.69 €29.06

$29.89 COP 94.3K

12.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 €63.8

$44.76 COP 141.2K

65.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 €18.95

$17.06 COP 53.8K

28.78%

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 €11.81

$6.20 COP 19.6K

120.81%

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

$769 €663

$793 COP 2.5M

-3.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

92.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.8

$85.6 COP 270.1K

17.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.36 €34.81

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-30.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.9

$136 COP 430.1K

-19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €135

$103 COP 325.4K

51.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 €1,319

$1,060 COP 3.3M

44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 €881

$680 COP 2.1M

50.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,903 €2,504

$2,012 COP 6.3M

44.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 €1,629

$1,169 COP 3.7M

61.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,518 €5,621

$4,111 COP 13.0M

58.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,939 €3,398

$1,701 COP 5.4M

131.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,027 €1,749

$665 COP 2.1M

204.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

10.94

-71.12%

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

Last update for Florence: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,529 in Florence versus $1,060 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 205% higher in Florence, 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 $80.0 in Florence versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $303 – 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

Florence vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,457 in Florence, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 43% apart. Florence costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,685 per month in Florence and $2,574 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,457 in Florence and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Florence at $2,457. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Florence 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 $1,716 in Medellin to $2,457 in Florence. 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, Florence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.