Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fajardo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fajardo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,919 in Fajardo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $3,137 in Fajardo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $4,355 in Fajardo.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 48% less than in Fajardo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Fajardo is 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$9.94 $9.94

-40.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$82.0 $82.0

-59.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$9.48 $9.48

-21.62%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$3.57 $3.57

-53.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$1.75 $1.75

-37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$1.39 $1.39

-43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$3.04 $3.04

-43.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$4.37 $4.37

-27.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$2.52 $2.52

-56.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$3.07 $3.07

-58.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$2.28 $2.28

-39.47%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$5.73 $5.73

-61.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$5.08 $5.08

-11.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$8.56 $8.56

-32.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$12.50 $12.50

-28.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$6.05 $6.05

-61.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$2.67 $2.67

-60.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$3.83 $3.83

-60.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$4.15 $4.15

-67.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$3.93 $3.93

-71.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.94 $2.94

-60.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$3.06 $3.06

-70.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$1.89 $1.89

-52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$11.63 $11.63

-80.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$9.89 $9.89

22.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$2.54 $2.54

-53.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$3.12 $3.12

-20.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$1.54 $1.54

26.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$15.16 $15.16

-47.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$0.92 $0.92

7.61%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$35.3K $35.3K

-50.14%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.41%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$354 $354

-76.53%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$77.9 $77.9

-87.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$69.7 $69.7

-66.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$101 $101

-74.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$11.90 $11.90

-66.81%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$464 $464

-31.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$10.2K $10.2K

-41.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$45.69 $45.69

31.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$57.3 $57.3

-44.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$89.2 $89.2

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$104 $104

3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$714 $714

-33.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$600 $600

-37.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$1,604 $1,604

-47.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$1,603 $1,603

-55.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.5

144.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fajardo: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $714 in Fajardo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $82.0 in Fajardo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $357 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

Medellin vs Fajardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 91% lower than in Fajardo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $2,878 in Fajardo 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: $475 in Medellin versus $714 in Fajardo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Fajardo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,919 in Fajardo – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,919 in Fajardo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fajardo. 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 $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Fajardo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.