Cost of Living Comparison Between Forbes and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Forbes and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,546 in Forbes versus $1,618 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,615 in Forbes versus $2,460 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,685 in Forbes versus $3,302 in Medellin.

Living in Forbes is roughly 57% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Forbes 88% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 A$25.80

$7.69 COP 24.6K

136.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 A$108

$43.28 COP 138.2K

76.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 A$14.24

$9.50 COP 30.4K

5.68%

Cappuccino

$4.40 A$6.25

$2.81 COP 8,973

56.58%

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

$3.09 A$4.39

$1.84 COP 5,862

67.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 A$2.92

$1.51 COP 4,813

36.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.41

$3.08 COP 9,849

115.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 A$9.97

$5.49 COP 17.5K

28.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 A$2.54

$1.34 COP 4,293

33.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 A$3.26

$2.31 COP 7,363

-0.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 A$3.03

$1.47 COP 4,692

44.90%

Eggs

$5.42 A$7.69

$2.69 COP 8,583

101.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 A$14.36

$8.87 COP 28.3K

14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 A$12.23

$10.64 COP 34.0K

-18.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 A$18.92

$14.47 COP 46.2K

-7.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 A$5.76

$3.75 COP 12.0K

8.27%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.89

$1.39 COP 4,429

148.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 A$5.39

$2.22 COP 7,096

71.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 A$5.69

$1.98 COP 6,324

102.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.39

$2.05 COP 6,562

16.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.16

$1.60 COP 5,109

39.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.49

$1.04 COP 3,327

136.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.31

$1.27 COP 4,052

28.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$36.40 A$51.6

$3.75 COP 12.0K

870.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 A$18.91

$13.10 COP 41.8K

1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.19

$1.58 COP 5,035

220.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.51

$3.02 COP 9,642

75.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 A$4.14

$1.17 COP 3,730

149.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.1 A$126

$76.0 COP 242.6K

17.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$5.06

$1.50 COP 4,800

138.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 A$2.46

$2.09 COP 6,662

-17.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.45 A$56.0

$8.10 COP 25.9K

387.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 A$1.53

$1.26 COP 4,032

-14.29%

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

$25.1K A$35.6K

$26.9K COP 85.9M

-6.64%

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

$27.2K A$38.6K

$34.9K COP 111.4M

-21.97%

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

$217 A$308

$148 COP 473.7K

46.15%

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

$31.05 A$44.05

$13.03 COP 41.6K

138.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 A$73.4

$31.48 COP 100.5K

64.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 A$90.1

$45.50 COP 145.3K

39.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 A$23.32

$17.02 COP 54.3K

-3.41%

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 A$22.44

$6.32 COP 20.2K

150.32%

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

$2,286 A$3,243

$837 COP 2.7M

173.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K A$28.2K

$8,663 COP 27.7M

129.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 A$123

$88.8 COP 283.6K

-2.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 A$86.7

$54.9 COP 175.4K

11.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$147

$134 COP 429.5K

-22.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$196

$108 COP 345.9K

27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 A$2,087

$939 COP 3.0M

56.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 A$1,565

$646 COP 2.1M

70.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,458 A$3,488

$1,941 COP 6.2M

26.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 A$2,758

$1,126 COP 3.6M

72.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,674 A$8,049

$3,638 COP 11.6M

55.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,938 A$7,004

$1,553 COP 5.0M

217.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

10.43

-44.30%

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

Last update for Forbes: August 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,471 in Forbes and $939 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Forbes vs $43.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $291 per month, with Medellin 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

Forbes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Forbes and Medellin differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($2,546 vs $1,618 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,819 in Forbes and $2,427 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: $1,471 in Forbes versus $939 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,546 per month in Forbes versus $1,618 in Medellin – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 17% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,618 in Medellin versus $2,546 in Forbes, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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.

Safety-wise, Forbes 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.