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: $2,316 in Freeport versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Freeport versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,852 in Freeport versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Freeport is roughly 129% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Freeport is 73% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.54 BSD 22.54

$5.99 COP 21.4K

276.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 BSD 101

$32.86 COP 117.4K

207.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 BSD 12.09

$7.09 COP 25.3K

70.52%

Cappuccino

$5.57 BSD 5.57

$1.71 COP 6,115

225.73%

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

$2.19 BSD 2.19

$1.10 COP 3,924

99.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 BSD 1.60

$0.78 COP 2,781

105.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 BSD 4.58

$1.68 COP 5,997

172.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 BSD 8.08

$3.07 COP 11.0K

163.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 BSD 1.80

$1.09 COP 3,906

65.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 BSD 3.71

$1.26 COP 4,508

194.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 BSD 5.42

$1.38 COP 4,922

292.75%

Eggs

$8.40 BSD 8.40

$2.19 COP 7,827

283.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 BSD 9.07

$4.40 COP 15.7K

106.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 BSD 2.85

$1.06 COP 3,777

168.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$6.72 BSD 6.72

$1.38 COP 4,924

386.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 BSD 2.23

$1.16 COP 4,155

92.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.27 BSD 3.27

$0.89 COP 3,182

267.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 BSD 1.90

$0.84 COP 2,997

126.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$20.21 BSD 20.21

$10.64 COP 38.0K

89.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 BSD 4.25

$1.20 COP 4,284

254.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 BSD 1.49

$0.86 COP 3,056

73.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 BSD 2.99

$1.47 COP 5,264

103.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BSD 1.51

$0.95 COP 3,409

58.95%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$34.5K BSD 34.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

30.17%

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

$120 BSD 120

$82.3 COP 293.7K

45.43%

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

$40.62 BSD 40.62

$9.50 COP 33.9K

327.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 BSD 63.6

$24.23 COP 86.5K

162.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 BSD 46.97

$25.89 COP 92.4K

81.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$376 BSD 376

$309 COP 1.1M

21.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,032 BSD 8,032

$5,965 COP 21.3M

34.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.00 BSD 47.00

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-19.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.61 BSD 24.61

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-23.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 BSD 94.8

$103 COP 366.4K

-7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 BSD 79.5

$108 COP 387.2K

-26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 BSD 1,169

$476 COP 1.7M

145.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 BSD 1,302

$379 COP 1.4M

243.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,113 BSD 2,113

$838 COP 3.0M

152.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 BSD 2,388

$724 COP 2.6M

229.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,552 BSD 1,552

$512 COP 1.8M

203.26%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Freeport and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Freeport pays 203% 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 Freeport vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $188 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 129% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Freeport pays 203% 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: $1,169 in Freeport versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $376 in Freeport versus $309 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 Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,316 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 129% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.