Cost of Living Comparison Between Formosa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Formosa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Formosa versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,567 in Formosa versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,166 in Formosa versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Formosa costs roughly 6% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Formosa 28% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 ARS 15.7K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

72.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.12 ARS 50.4K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

4.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 ARS 13.3K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

22.21%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ARS 4,076

$1.72 COP 5,600

60.47%

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

$1.65 ARS 2,437

$1.05 COP 3,420

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$0.77 COP 2,515

101.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ARS 3,047

$1.69 COP 5,488

21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,520

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-3.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,861

$1.05 COP 3,423

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ARS 2,303

$1.30 COP 4,236

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,910

$1.40 COP 4,544

40.71%

Eggs

$2.24 ARS 3,313

$2.16 COP 7,047

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ARS 15.1K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

133.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 ARS 9,026

$5.88 COP 19.1K

3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ARS 14.2K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,000

$2.28 COP 7,426

-10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 3,030

$1.11 COP 3,604

84.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,856

$1.53 COP 4,983

-17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ARS 3,881

$1.35 COP 4,410

94.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ARS 1,735

$1.13 COP 3,674

3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,765

$1.13 COP 3,692

5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,938

$0.85 COP 2,753

54.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,175

$0.91 COP 2,975

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ARS 4,688

$2.34 COP 7,630

35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.54 ARS 8,185

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-55.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,031

$1.20 COP 3,909

70.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ARS 4,658

$2.49 COP 8,104

26.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ARS 1,136

$0.84 COP 2,728

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ARS 2,277

$1.42 COP 4,623

8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ARS 1,291

$1.92 COP 6,235

-54.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 ARS 8,639

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-23.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,630

$0.99 COP 3,223

11.11%

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

$27.4K ARS 40.4M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

51.79%

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

$30.1K ARS 44.4M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

12.91%

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

$67.9 ARS 100.3K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-15.99%

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

$16.82 ARS 24.9K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

69.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 ARS 33.0K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-7.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.31 ARS 38.9K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

4.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ARS 20.2K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-28.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 ARS 9,369

$3.98 COP 13.0K

59.30%

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

$223 ARS 329.5K

$305 COP 993.5K

-26.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,679 ARS 4.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-55.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 ARS 109.8K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

27.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 ARS 101.3K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

112.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 171.0K

$101 COP 327.9K

14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ARS 166.4K

$108 COP 350.8K

4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 ARS 494.6K

$477 COP 1.6M

-29.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ARS 354.7K

$376 COP 1.2M

-36.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ARS 1.0M

$845 COP 2.7M

-17.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ARS 785.6K

$730 COP 2.4M

-27.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,366 ARS 3.5M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-26.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,578 ARS 2.3M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

14.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

13.43

335.59%

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

Last update for Formosa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Formosa and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Formosa vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $193 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

Formosa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Formosa is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,452 in Formosa 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: $335 in Formosa versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Formosa versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Formosa – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $968 in Formosa versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Formosa but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Formosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Formosa 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, Formosa 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 Formosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.