Cost of Living Comparison Between Fontana, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fontana, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,282 per month in Fontana, CA vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,727 per month in Fontana, CA vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,171 per month in Fontana, CA vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Fontana, CA costs about 95% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Fontana, CA and Medellin sit above the global median – Fontana, CA by 140%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.16 $10.16

$8.02 COP 25.0K

26.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.75 $45.75

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-4.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$9.89 COP 30.8K

0.51%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.13 COP 9,767

62.30%

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

$3.60 $3.60

$1.91 COP 5,954

88.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.51 COP 4,712

103.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.12 COP 9,747

62.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 $6.85

$5.75 COP 17.9K

19.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.44 COP 4,509

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.49 COP 7,759

59.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.77 COP 5,535

133.33%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$2.96 COP 9,235

66.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$10.07 COP 31.4K

29.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 $7.56

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-57.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.61 COP 5,019

31.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.25 COP 7,007

-4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.25 COP 7,028

-1.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.04 COP 6,375

-15.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.54 COP 4,790

25.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.17 COP 3,651

-18.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.31 COP 4,077

-23.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.52 $11.52

$3.90 COP 12.2K

195.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 $15.80

$14.01 COP 43.7K

12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.74 COP 5,439

25.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.87 COP 8,956

56.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.44 $44.44

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-44.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.31 COP 4,084

124.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.19 COP 6,825

11.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.1 $60.1

$8.71 COP 27.2K

590.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.37 COP 4,260

-5.84%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

30.87%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-26.86%

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

$255 $255

$177 COP 553.2K

44.08%

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

$74.4 $74.4

$13.88 COP 43.3K

435.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.32 $45.32

$29.72 COP 92.8K

52.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 $4.93

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-25.86%

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

$1,399 $1,399

$813 COP 2.5M

72.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K $37.2K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

304.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 $86.8

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-3.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.29 $46.29

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-21.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$138 COP 431.2K

-41.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$102 COP 318.7K

27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 $2,039

$1,062 COP 3.3M

92.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 $2,119

$663 COP 2.1M

219.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,145 $3,145

$1,888 COP 5.9M

66.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,784 $3,784

$1,027 COP 3.2M

268.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,064 $5,064

$678 COP 2.1M

647.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

10.94

-42.96%

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

Last update for Fontana, CA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,039 in Fontana, CA versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 647% higher in Fontana, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Fontana, CA versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $318 in Fontana, CA vs $305 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Fontana, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fontana, CA costs about 95% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,924 per month in Fontana, CA and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,282 in Fontana, CA and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Fontana, CA at $3,282. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fontana, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,681 versus $3,282 in Fontana, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fontana, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.