Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Funchal and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,099 in Funchal, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Funchal outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Funchal
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,099
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Funchal 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 Funchal and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,099 in Funchal versus $1,614 in Medellin.

  • Funchal $2,099
  • Medellin $1,614

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,058 in Funchal versus $2,402 in Medellin.

  • Funchal $3,058
  • Medellin $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,017 in Funchal versus $3,190 in Medellin.

  • Funchal $4,017
  • Medellin $3,190

Living in Funchal is roughly 30% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Funchal 56% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.90 €13.25
$7.93 COP 25.2K
87.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8 €57.6
$46.13 COP 146.3K
40.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.51 €12.02
$9.50 COP 30.1K
42.21%
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.78
$3.11 COP 9,866
-35.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.46
$1.83 COP 5,800
-10.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.38 COP 4,360
0.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.87 €2.55
$3.05 COP 9,672
-5.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87 €3.44
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-29.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.45 COP 4,600
-27.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 €1.53
$2.36 COP 7,496
-27.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 €1.50
$1.68 COP 5,328
0.60%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.52
$2.86 COP 9,077
38.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.34 €9.20
$10.19 COP 32.3K
1.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.36 €6.55
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-22.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.82 €10.52
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-15.81%
Apples (1kg)
$1.73 €1.54
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-57.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.50 COP 4,742
21.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.73 €1.54
$2.17 COP 6,891
-20.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$2.31 COP 7,310
8.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.93 COP 6,113
-3.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.64 COP 5,196
19.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.69 €1.50
$1.13 COP 3,571
49.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.71
$1.25 COP 3,954
-36.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.98
$3.99 COP 12.6K
40.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.58 €5.85
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-50.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 €1.12
$1.70 COP 5,384
-25.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.19
$2.37 COP 7,525
3.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.17 €1.93
$1.21 COP 3,827
79.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.10 €30.33
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-55.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.82 €3.40
$1.32 COP 4,179
189.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 €1.22
$2.14 COP 6,774
-35.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.88 €16.79
$8.47 COP 26.8K
122.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.80
$1.30 COP 4,114
56.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K €30.2K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
21.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K €33.8K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
7.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 €109
$172 COP 545.6K
-28.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.20 €15.30
$13.37 COP 42.4K
28.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.15 €43.72
$28.73 COP 91.1K
71.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.59 €36.99
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-8.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.56 €7.61
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-49.77%
Cinema Ticket
$8.48 €7.54
$6.28 COP 19.9K
35.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$419 €372
$770 COP 2.4M
-45.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,353 €7,430
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-7.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 €54.9
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-28.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.72 €29.10
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-42.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.8 €79.0
$137 COP 432.9K
-34.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.3 €66.1
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-24.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,471 €1,309
$1,055 COP 3.3M
39.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 €1,087
$616 COP 2.0M
98.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,490 €2,215
$1,892 COP 6.0M
31.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,981 €1,762
$1,023 COP 3.2M
93.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,739 €4,215
$4,059 COP 12.9M
16.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,237 €2,880
$1,678 COP 5.3M
92.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Funchal
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,457 €1,296
$652 COP 2.1M
123.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.59
10.94
-67.18%

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

Last update for Funchal: October 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Funchal
$1.2K
Medellin
$616 49.6% $606
Groceries & Markets
Funchal
$243
Medellin
$295 21.4% $52
Eating Out
Funchal
$218
Medellin
$168 22.7% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Funchal
$189
Medellin
$214 13.2% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Funchal
$116
Medellin
$170 46.8% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Funchal
$59
Medellin
$58 1.2% $0.7
Getting Around
Funchal
$53
Medellin
$93 74.5% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,471 in Funchal and $1,055 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Funchal pays 123% 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: $65.0 in Funchal vs $46.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $295, with Funchal cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Funchal
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
22:45 10:45 PM
16:45 4:45 PM
6 h behind Funchal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
105,795
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Funchal Medellin 6,720 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Funchal
  • 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
Funchal vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Funchal and in Medellin?
Funchal and Medellin differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,099 vs $1,614 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Funchal or Medellin?
Average pay runs 123% higher in Funchal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Funchal and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,471 in Funchal versus $1,055 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Funchal or Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $2,099 per month in Funchal versus $1,614 in Medellin – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Funchal and in Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 124% less than in Funchal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,099 in Funchal, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Funchal. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Funchal and Medellin?
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.
Is Funchal or Medellin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Funchal 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.
Where should expats move: Funchal or Medellin?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Funchal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Funchal vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?