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: $814 in Florencia versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Florencia versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,616 in Florencia versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Florencia costs roughly 20% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Florencia 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 COP 13.7K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-33.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 COP 81.6K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-29.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 COP 25.2K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-0.14%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,440

$1.63 COP 5,687

-4.29%

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

$0.86 COP 2,984

$1.09 COP 3,821

-21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 2,018

$0.73 COP 2,548

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 4,237

$1.74 COP 6,065

-30.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 COP 7,684

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-31.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,826

$1.05 COP 3,662

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,472

$1.29 COP 4,515

-0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,161

$1.32 COP 4,617

-9.85%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 7,516

$2.27 COP 7,927

-5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 COP 15.1K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-0.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 COP 18.7K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-8.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 25.0K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 COP 8,899

$2.25 COP 7,844

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,693

$1.07 COP 3,733

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,531

$1.52 COP 5,322

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,068

$1.42 COP 4,964

-38.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,917

$1.17 COP 4,084

-4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,089

$1.17 COP 4,077

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 COP 3,032

$0.89 COP 3,096

-2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,226

$0.90 COP 3,146

-28.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 COP 8,074

$2.25 COP 7,837

2.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 COP 43.9K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

13.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,934

$1.14 COP 3,977

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,928

$2.38 COP 8,301

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,341

$0.84 COP 2,916

-20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.23 COP 105.5K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-27.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,015

$1.41 COP 4,912

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 COP 5,854

$1.90 COP 6,634

-11.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 COP 20.6K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-23.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,427

$1.01 COP 3,509

-2.97%

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

$17.8K COP 62.2M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

1.38%

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

$25.2K COP 88.1M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-4.74%

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

$81.4 COP 284.1K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-2.74%

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

$9.15 COP 32.0K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.81 COP 79.6K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.80 COP 83.1K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-5.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 COP 13.4K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-6.59%

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

$243 COP 847.1K

$312 COP 1.1M

-22.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,842 COP 20.4M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-2.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 COP 203.2K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.46 COP 113.3K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 COP 296.5K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-14.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 COP 255.8K

$109 COP 378.8K

-32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 COP 973.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 COP 836.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-36.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.9M

$837 COP 2.9M

-36.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 COP 1.5M

$723 COP 2.5M

-41.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,785 COP 6.2M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-37.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 COP 4.2M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-1.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Florencia and $482 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 $178 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 25% in total monthly costs ($814 vs $1,017 including rent). Florencia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,221 in Florencia and $1,525 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: $279 in Florencia versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 in Florencia versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $814 in Florencia versus $1,017 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.