Cost of Living Comparison Between Florencia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Florencia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $802 in Florencia versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Florencia versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,646 in Florencia versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Florencia costs roughly 20% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Florencia 40% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-33.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.44 COP 73.8K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-28.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 COP 22.6K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 4,885

$1.65 COP 5,207

-6.06%

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

$0.89 COP 2,797

$1.10 COP 3,468

-19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,891

$0.78 COP 2,458

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 3,635

$1.72 COP 5,412

-33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 COP 6,950

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-30.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 COP 3,361

$1.10 COP 3,474

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 3,890

$1.26 COP 3,962

-1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,717

$1.38 COP 4,349

-14.49%

Eggs

$2.24 COP 7,039

$2.18 COP 6,858

2.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 COP 13.8K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.30 COP 16.7K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-8.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 COP 23.5K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 7,655

$2.32 COP 7,308

4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,484

$1.06 COP 3,352

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,250

$1.52 COP 4,774

-11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,926

$1.36 COP 4,270

-31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,645

$1.13 COP 3,552

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,723

$1.17 COP 3,689

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,572

$0.90 COP 2,838

-8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,183

$0.90 COP 2,823

-23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 COP 7,238

$2.23 COP 7,034

3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 COP 39.6K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,541

$1.19 COP 3,743

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,463

$2.48 COP 7,815

-29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,156

$0.85 COP 2,687

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.79 COP 93.8K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-28.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 4,661

$1.42 COP 4,459

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 COP 5,241

$1.95 COP 6,141

-14.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 COP 19.4K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-22.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 2,954

$0.99 COP 3,118

-5.05%

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

$18.2K COP 57.4M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

3.63%

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

$25.5K COP 80.2M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-4.94%

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

$82.4 COP 259.3K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-0.80%

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

$9.27 COP 29.2K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-4.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.50 COP 70.8K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.62 COP 74.4K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-6.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 12.3K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-1.52%

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

$236 COP 743.1K

$316 COP 994.2K

-25.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,995 COP 18.9M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 185.3K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.31 COP 104.9K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

4.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 COP 259.2K

$102 COP 320.1K

-19.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 225.0K

$107 COP 338.3K

-33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 COP 893.3K

$475 COP 1.5M

-40.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 761.8K

$374 COP 1.2M

-35.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 COP 1.7M

$849 COP 2.7M

-37.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 COP 1.3M

$719 COP 2.3M

-40.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,988 COP 6.3M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-39.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,592 COP 5.0M

$1,441 COP 4.5M

10.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

13.43

-1.86%

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

Last update for Florencia: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Florencia and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Florencia vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $193 per month, with Florencia 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

Florencia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Florencia and Medellin differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($802 vs $1,003 including rent). Florencia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,203 in Florencia and $1,504 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $284 in Florencia versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $236 in Florencia versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $802 in Florencia versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Florencia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Florencia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Florencia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.