Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,166 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,152 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,139 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 208% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Lee, NJ is 136% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$5.92 COP 21.2K

232.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$33.17 COP 118.7K

203.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 $12.74

$7.25 COP 25.9K

75.72%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$1.71 COP 6,137

210.53%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$1.09 COP 3,915

120.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.77 COP 2,743

66.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 $7.07

$1.75 COP 6,254

304.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.18 $9.18

$3.18 COP 11.4K

188.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.06 COP 3,792

26.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.30 COP 4,657

152.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.38 COP 4,926

210.87%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$2.21 COP 7,908

92.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.43 $21.43

$4.52 COP 16.2K

374.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 $11.73

$5.80 COP 20.7K

102.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$8.97 COP 32.1K

92.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.29 COP 8,182

113.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.06 COP 3,791

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.51 COP 5,411

166.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.36 COP 4,869

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.16 COP 4,146

147.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.17 COP 4,174

225.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.83 COP 2,960

198.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$0.85 COP 3,043

217.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$2.35 COP 8,423

411.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$11.09 COP 39.7K

9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.15 COP 4,133

52.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.47 COP 8,853

146.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.77 $3.77

$0.79 COP 2,827

377.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.44 COP 5,140

113.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.90 COP 6,793

8.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.94 $23.94

$7.70 COP 27.6K

210.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.03 COP 3,680

-9.71%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

68.72%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-6.70%

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

$127 $127

$81.4 COP 291.4K

55.75%

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

$45.18 $45.18

$9.42 COP 33.7K

379.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$23.77 COP 85.1K

168.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$25.86 COP 92.6K

382.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 $15.15

$4.05 COP 14.5K

274.07%

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

$2,018 $2,018

$312 COP 1.1M

545.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

297.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 $73.6

$58.9 COP 210.7K

25.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 $61.1

$32.82 COP 117.5K

86.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 $70.3

$100 COP 359.6K

-30.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$106 COP 380.3K

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,252 $2,252

$490 COP 1.8M

360.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 $1,855

$371 COP 1.3M

400.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,689 $4,689

$838 COP 3.0M

459.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,838 $3,838

$715 COP 2.6M

436.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,388 $4,388

$2,952 COP 10.6M

48.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,733 $3,733

$1,394 COP 5.0M

167.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,761 $6,761

$532 COP 1.9M

1170.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

13.43

-52.72%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,252 in Fort Lee, NJ and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 1171% 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: $101 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $190 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 Lee, NJ vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 208% lower than in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 1171% more on average, 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: $2,252 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $490 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,018 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $101 in Fort Lee, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $3,166 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, NJ. 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 $1,030 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fort Lee, NJ 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 208% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.