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: $801 in Florencia versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Florencia versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,655 in Florencia versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Florencia costs roughly 23% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Florencia 40% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 COP 14.1K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-34.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.20 COP 83.7K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-29.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 COP 25.9K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$1.49 COP 5,383

$1.70 COP 6,140

-12.35%

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

$0.88 COP 3,178

$1.10 COP 3,966

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 2,204

$0.72 COP 2,605

-15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,308

$1.67 COP 6,022

-28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 COP 8,078

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-27.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,802

$1.06 COP 3,809

-0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 COP 4,449

$1.25 COP 4,497

-1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,136

$1.39 COP 5,022

-17.27%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 7,765

$2.26 COP 8,168

-4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 COP 16.1K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

2.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 COP 19.5K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-7.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 COP 26.7K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-16.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 COP 9,135

$2.24 COP 8,099

12.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,862

$1.08 COP 3,882

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,704

$1.53 COP 5,522

-15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 3,087

$1.37 COP 4,950

-37.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,068

$1.13 COP 4,078

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,209

$1.12 COP 4,036

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,975

$0.85 COP 3,057

-3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,316

$0.91 COP 3,281

-29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 COP 8,629

$2.33 COP 8,414

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 COP 42.6K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,943

$1.19 COP 4,309

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 6,491

$2.37 COP 8,553

-24.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,451

$0.79 COP 2,838

-13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.42 COP 109.8K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-26.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,341

$1.44 COP 5,184

2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 COP 5,984

$1.91 COP 6,901

-13.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 COP 21.6K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-25.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,561

$0.94 COP 3,385

5.32%

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

$18.0K COP 64.8M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

0.21%

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

$25.9K COP 93.4M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-3.43%

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

$82.1 COP 296.3K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-2.24%

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

$9.20 COP 33.2K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-4.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.42 COP 80.9K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.65 COP 85.4K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-8.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.84 COP 13.9K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

-2.04%

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

$237 COP 853.9K

$306 COP 1.1M

-22.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,878 COP 21.2M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 COP 212.3K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.88 COP 118.7K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

3.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 COP 301.2K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-16.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 COP 257.8K

$107 COP 386.8K

-33.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 COP 1.0M

$487 COP 1.8M

-42.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 COP 868.1K

$368 COP 1.3M

-34.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 COP 1.9M

$826 COP 3.0M

-37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 COP 1.6M

$716 COP 2.6M

-39.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 COP 6.5M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-38.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,486 COP 5.4M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

5.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Florencia and $487 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 $177 vs $190 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 29% in total monthly costs ($801 vs $1,034 including rent). Florencia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,202 in Florencia and $1,550 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: $280 in Florencia versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $237 in Florencia versus $306 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 $801 in Florencia versus $1,034 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 29% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.