Cost of Living Comparison Between Freeport and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Freeport and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,292 in Freeport versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,601 in Freeport versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,910 in Freeport versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Freeport is roughly 122% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Freeport is 72% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.32 BSD 22.32

$6.16 COP 20.1K

262.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 BSD 102

$32.60 COP 106.1K

212.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 BSD 11.96

$7.34 COP 23.9K

62.94%

Cappuccino

$5.37 BSD 5.37

$1.72 COP 5,600

212.21%

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

$2.21 BSD 2.21

$1.05 COP 3,420

110.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 BSD 1.64

$0.77 COP 2,515

112.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 BSD 4.51

$1.69 COP 5,488

166.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 BSD 7.83

$3.17 COP 10.3K

147.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BSD 1.73

$1.05 COP 3,423

64.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 BSD 3.73

$1.30 COP 4,236

186.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.45 BSD 5.45

$1.40 COP 4,544

289.29%

Eggs

$8.15 BSD 8.15

$2.16 COP 7,047

277.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 BSD 8.94

$4.39 COP 14.3K

103.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 BSD 2.92

$1.11 COP 3,604

163.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 BSD 6.47

$1.35 COP 4,410

379.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 BSD 2.26

$1.13 COP 3,692

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.27 BSD 3.27

$0.85 COP 2,753

284.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 BSD 1.85

$0.91 COP 2,975

103.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

Wine (Bottle)

$20.14 BSD 20.14

$12.37 COP 40.3K

62.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 BSD 4.25

$1.20 COP 3,909

254.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 BSD 1.46

$0.84 COP 2,728

73.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 BSD 2.97

$1.42 COP 4,623

109.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BSD 1.50

$0.99 COP 3,223

51.52%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$35.5K BSD 35.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

33.31%

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

$119 BSD 119

$80.8 COP 263.1K

47.07%

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

$40.10 BSD 40.10

$9.95 COP 32.4K

303.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 BSD 65.2

$24.18 COP 78.7K

169.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.01 BSD 48.01

$25.08 COP 81.7K

91.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$375 BSD 375

$305 COP 993.5K

22.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,875 BSD 7,875

$6,059 COP 19.7M

29.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 BSD 46.67

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-19.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 BSD 25.31

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-21.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 BSD 95.1

$101 COP 327.9K

-5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 BSD 78.8

$108 COP 350.8K

-26.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 BSD 1,191

$477 COP 1.6M

149.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 BSD 1,306

$376 COP 1.2M

247.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 BSD 2,103

$845 COP 2.7M

148.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 BSD 2,407

$730 COP 2.4M

229.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

13.43

-22.71%

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

Last update for Freeport: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,191 in Freeport and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $102 in Freeport vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 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

Freeport vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Freeport and Medellin differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($2,292 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,438 in Freeport 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: $1,191 in Freeport versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $375 in Freeport 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 Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $102 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,292 in Freeport, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Freeport. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.