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: $921 in Foca versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,387 in Foca versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,853 in Foca versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Foca costs roughly 11% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foca 31% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 BAM 11.96

$6.16 COP 20.1K

13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.76 BAM 28.70

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-48.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 BAM 15.37

$7.34 COP 23.9K

22.21%

Cappuccino

$1.57 BAM 2.70

$1.72 COP 5,599

-8.72%

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

$0.98 BAM 1.68

$1.05 COP 3,420

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 BAM 0.97

$0.77 COP 2,515

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BAM 3.44

$1.69 COP 5,487

18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 BAM 4.77

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-11.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$1.05 COP 3,423

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.30 COP 4,236

-8.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.69

$1.40 COP 4,544

12.14%

Eggs

$2.96 BAM 5.06

$2.16 COP 7,046

37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BAM 16.44

$4.39 COP 14.3K

118.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 BAM 8.97

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-10.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 BAM 20.42

$8.64 COP 28.1K

37.96%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 BAM 1.43

$2.28 COP 7,425

-63.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.83

$1.11 COP 3,603

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.53 COP 4,982

21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.34

$1.35 COP 4,410

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.13 COP 3,674

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BAM 2.24

$1.13 COP 3,692

15.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.09

$0.85 COP 2,753

43.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.31

$0.91 COP 2,975

-16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 BAM 6.30

$2.34 COP 7,629

57.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.47 BAM 14.51

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BAM 1.19

$1.20 COP 3,909

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.85

$2.49 COP 8,104

-56.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.16

$0.84 COP 2,727

120.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 61.4

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-11.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$1.42 COP 4,623

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BAM 0.90

$1.92 COP 6,235

-72.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 BAM 15.52

$7.66 COP 24.9K

18.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.60

$0.99 COP 3,223

53.54%

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

$28.3K BAM 48.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

56.77%

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

$27.0K BAM 46.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

1.27%

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

$169 BAM 289

$80.8 COP 263.1K

108.93%

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

$19.25 BAM 32.98

$9.95 COP 32.4K

93.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.25 BAM 39.82

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-3.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.29 BAM 50.2

$25.08 COP 81.6K

16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.84 BAM 18.56

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-43.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 BAM 7.87

$3.98 COP 13.0K

15.33%

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

$237 BAM 405

$305 COP 993.4K

-22.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,714 BAM 6,360

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-38.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 BAM 129

$58.1 COP 189.2K

29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.18 BAM 63.7

$32.20 COP 104.8K

15.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 BAM 119

$101 COP 327.9K

-30.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 BAM 208

$108 COP 350.8K

12.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 BAM 269

$477 COP 1.6M

-67.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 BAM 295

$376 COP 1.2M

-54.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 BAM 617

$845 COP 2.7M

-57.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BAM 547

$730 COP 2.4M

-56.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,544 BAM 4,358

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-20.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 BAM 3,014

$1,372 COP 4.5M

28.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Foca and $477 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 $193, 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,382 in Foca and $1,546 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: $157 in Foca versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $237 in Foca versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $921 in Foca versus $1,031 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 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.