Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Collins, CO and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Collins, CO and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,675 in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,067 in Fort Collins, CO versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,459 in Fort Collins, CO versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Fort Collins, CO is roughly 59% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Collins, CO 96% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.21 $22.21

$8.02 COP 25.0K

176.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$47.87 COP 149.4K

66.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 $10.95

$9.89 COP 30.8K

10.72%

Cappuccino

$6.06 $6.06

$3.13 COP 9,767

93.61%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.91 COP 5,954

31.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.51 COP 4,712

43.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$3.12 COP 9,747

119.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$5.75 COP 17.9K

23.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.44 COP 4,509

-30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.49 COP 7,759

18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.77 COP 5,535

55.37%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$2.96 COP 9,235

47.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$10.07 COP 31.4K

7.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$10.12 COP 31.6K

0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.54 $20.54

$14.30 COP 44.6K

43.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$4.14 COP 12.9K

27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.61 COP 5,019

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.25 COP 7,007

122.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.25 COP 7,028

135.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.04 COP 6,375

70.10%

Onion (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.54 COP 4,790

196.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.17 COP 3,651

97.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.31 COP 4,077

30.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.79 $9.79

$3.90 COP 12.2K

151.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 $18.05

$14.01 COP 43.7K

28.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.74 COP 5,439

47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.87 COP 8,956

-4.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.31 COP 4,084

85.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.19 COP 6,825

-13.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.75 $24.75

$8.71 COP 27.2K

184.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.37 COP 4,260

-24.82%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

29.31%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-30.56%

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

$213 $213

$177 COP 553.2K

20.38%

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

$55.7 $55.7

$13.88 COP 43.3K

301.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$29.72 COP 92.8K

137.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 $53.9

$44.88 COP 140.1K

20.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.07 $30.07

$17.12 COP 53.4K

75.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$6.65 COP 20.7K

83.76%

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

$1,315 $1,315

$813 COP 2.5M

61.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

35.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 $60.9

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-31.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.5 $67.5

$59.0 COP 184.0K

14.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$138 COP 431.2K

-42.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$102 COP 318.7K

14.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 $1,861

$1,062 COP 3.3M

75.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$663 COP 2.1M

106.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,735 $2,735

$1,888 COP 5.9M

44.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$1,027 COP 3.2M

141.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,041 $3,041

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-27.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,003 $3,003

$1,675 COP 5.2M

79.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,390 $4,390

$678 COP 2.1M

547.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

10.94

-44.42%

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

Last update for Fort Collins, CO: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,861 in Fort Collins, CO and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Collins, CO pays 548% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $80.0 in Fort Collins, CO vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $305 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

Fort Collins, CO vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Fort Collins, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 548% higher in Fort Collins, CO, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,861 in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Fort Collins, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,675 per month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,675 in Fort Collins, CO, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fort Collins, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,681 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fort Collins, CO 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 59% less than in Fort Collins, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.