Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Madison, IA and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $2,559 in Fort Madison, IA, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Fort Madison, IA
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Fort Madison, IA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Fort Madison, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,559

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fort Madison, IA and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fort Madison, IA and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,559 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

Fort Madison, IA $2,559
Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $3,754 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

Fort Madison, IA $3,754
Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $4,950 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

Fort Madison, IA $4,950
Medellin $3,199

Fort Madison, IA costs about 58% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fort Madison, IA and Medellin sit above the global median – Fort Madison, IA by 89%, Medellin by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.82 $19.82

$8.30 COP 26.3K

138.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$46.91 COP 148.7K

62.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 $11.40

$9.24 COP 29.3K

23.38%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$3.05 COP 9,676

80.00%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.80 COP 5,707

46.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.38 COP 4,382

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.24 COP 10.3K

89.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 $7.37

$5.56 COP 17.6K

32.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.50 COP 4,760

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.37 COP 7,508

45.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.70 COP 5,377

152.94%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.96 COP 9,379

40.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$10.22 COP 32.4K

23.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 $11.33

$9.74 COP 30.9K

16.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 $17.07

$13.90 COP 44.1K

22.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.13 COP 13.1K

18.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.53 COP 4,839

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.22 COP 7,052

90.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.27 COP 7,194

112.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.99 COP 6,311

42.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.67 COP 5,285

76.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.18 COP 3,742

81.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.24 COP 3,919

78.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$3.87 COP 12.3K

160.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$13.78 COP 43.7K

9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.66 COP 5,256

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.40 COP 7,615

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.24 COP 3,944

83.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.28 COP 4,044

160.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.15 COP 6,803

-18.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.70 $31.70

$8.37 COP 26.5K

278.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.35 COP 4,288

-31.85%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$34.8K COP 110.2M

-23.61%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$34.7K COP 110.0M

-31.34%

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

$201 $201

$167 COP 528.4K

20.88%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$13.62 COP 43.2K

333.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$29.12 COP 92.3K

143.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.05 $41.05

$45.09 COP 143.0K

-8.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$6.97 COP 22.1K

102.87%

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

$1,439 $1,439

$790 COP 2.5M

82.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$9,041 COP 28.7M

162.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 $53.8

$87.8 COP 278.4K

-38.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.89 $40.89

$58.2 COP 184.4K

-29.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$139 COP 440.7K

-36.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$98.9 COP 313.5K

16.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$1,028 COP 3.3M

53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$620 COP 2.0M

107.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 $2,533

$1,881 COP 6.0M

34.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 $2,141

$1,008 COP 3.2M

112.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,414 $2,414

$3,988 COP 12.6M

-39.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,589 $2,589

$1,702 COP 5.4M

52.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

10.94

-39.95%

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

Last update for Fort Madison, IA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Fort Madison, IA

$1.3K 50.3%

Medellin

$619 38.1% 51.9% $668

Groceries & Markets

Fort Madison, IA

$393 15.4%

Medellin

$298 18.3% 24.3% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Madison, IA

$331 13%

Medellin

$209 12.9% 36.8% $122

Eating Out

Fort Madison, IA

$322 12.6%

Medellin

$171 10.5% 47% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Madison, IA

$134 5.2%

Medellin

$173 10.6% 29.1% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Madison, IA

$69 2.7%

Medellin

$59 3.6% 14.9% $10

Getting Around

Fort Madison, IA

$21 * 0.8%

Medellin

$95 5.9% 349% $74

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,582 in Fort Madison, IA versus $1,028 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Fort Madison, IA versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $298 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Madison, IA

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

16:25 4:25 PM

Same time as Fort Madison, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,270

2,486,723

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

COP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Fort Madison, IA Medellin 4,130 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Fort Madison, IA
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Madison, IA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,559 in Fort Madison, IA, $1,625 in Medellin – roughly 58% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,838 per month in Fort Madison, IA and $2,437 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Fort Madison, IA and $47.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Fort Madison, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Fort Madison, IA at $2,559. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Madison, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,625 in Medellin to $2,559 in Fort Madison, IA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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