Cost of Living Comparison Between Foca and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Foca and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $946 in Foca versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,406 in Foca versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Foca versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Foca costs roughly 7% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foca 29% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 BAM 11.83

$5.99 COP 21.4K

17.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.61 BAM 27.90

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-49.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 BAM 14.89

$7.09 COP 25.3K

24.96%

Cappuccino

$1.66 BAM 2.80

$1.71 COP 6,115

-2.92%

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

$1.02 BAM 1.72

$1.10 COP 3,924

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 BAM 0.93

$0.78 COP 2,781

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BAM 3.49

$1.68 COP 5,997

23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BAM 4.84

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 1.95

$1.09 COP 3,906

6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 BAM 1.96

$1.26 COP 4,508

-7.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.74

$1.38 COP 4,922

18.12%

Eggs

$3.03 BAM 5.08

$2.19 COP 7,827

38.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 BAM 15.76

$4.40 COP 15.7K

113.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 BAM 9.03

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 BAM 20.55

$8.89 COP 31.8K

37.57%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 BAM 1.54

$2.34 COP 8,349

-61.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 BAM 2.66

$1.06 COP 3,777

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.27

$1.50 COP 5,374

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.27

$1.38 COP 4,924

41.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 1.99

$1.15 COP 4,111

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.16 COP 4,155

7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$0.89 COP 3,182

37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.21

$0.84 COP 2,997

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 BAM 6.24

$2.28 COP 8,145

62.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 BAM 13.91

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-22.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.20

$1.20 COP 4,284

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 BAM 1.89

$2.47 COP 8,824

-54.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 BAM 2.94

$0.86 COP 3,056

103.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.84 BAM 58.5

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-15.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.47 COP 5,264

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.94

$1.96 COP 7,009

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.26

$7.74 COP 27.6K

17.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$0.95 COP 3,409

62.11%

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

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

60.25%

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

$27.1K BAM 45.6K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

2.51%

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

$174 BAM 292

$82.3 COP 293.7K

111.37%

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

$18.69 BAM 31.41

$9.50 COP 33.9K

96.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.44 BAM 39.39

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.75 BAM 49.98

$25.89 COP 92.4K

14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.01 BAM 18.49

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-42.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 BAM 7.88

$3.93 COP 14.0K

19.34%

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

$238 BAM 400

$309 COP 1.1M

-23.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,653 BAM 6,137

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-38.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 BAM 127

$58.7 COP 209.5K

28.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 BAM 62.0

$32.35 COP 115.5K

14.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 BAM 121

$103 COP 366.4K

-29.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 BAM 207

$108 COP 387.2K

13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 BAM 265

$476 COP 1.7M

-66.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 BAM 287

$379 COP 1.4M

-54.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 BAM 612

$838 COP 3.0M

-56.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BAM 531

$724 COP 2.6M

-56.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 BAM 4,286

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-8.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 BAM 3,122

$1,211 COP 4.3M

53.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

13.43

-62.62%

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

Last update for Foca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Foca and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Foca vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $188, with Medellin 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

Foca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foca is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,418 in Foca and $1,519 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: $158 in Foca versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Foca versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $946 in Foca versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foca but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Foca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Foca 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, Foca 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 Foca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.