Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fanar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fanar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $791 in Fanar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,281 in Fanar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,770 in Fanar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than Fanar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Fanar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Fanar 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.10 LBP 903.5K

-41.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$60.0 LBP 5.4M

-45.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.78 LBP 696.7K

-7.46%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.78 LBP 70.0K

117.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.64 LBP 147.0K

-32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.92 LBP 82.2K

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.47 LBP 131.6K

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.92 LBP 440.2K

-36.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.48 LBP 43.2K

160.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.98 LBP 87.9K

41.84%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.41 LBP 216.1K

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.13 LBP 996.4K

-61.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.09 LBP 276.5K

89.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.92 LBP 440.3K

79.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

330.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.48 LBP 43.3K

125.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.92 LBP 82.7K

66.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.51 LBP 46.0K

168.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.48 LBP 43.2K

135.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.93 LBP 82.9K

20.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.29 LBP 25.6K

193.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.41 LBP 37.0K

121.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.21 LBP 108.6K

92.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$2.98 LBP 266.9K

273.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.97 LBP 86.9K

22.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.48 LBP 132.0K

60.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$2.05 LBP 183.6K

-61.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$102 LBP 9.1M

-59.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$5.11 LBP 457.4K

-71.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.26 LBP 112.8K

51.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$20.26 LBP 1.8M

-60.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

5.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-48.18%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

-4.85%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$152 LBP 13.6M

-44.89%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$38.29 LBP 3.4M

-74.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

-18.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$19.61 LBP 1.8M

31.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$25.09 LBP 2.2M

-24.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.92 LBP 440.6K

-20.33%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$306 LBP 27.4M

0.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,407 LBP 394.4M

34.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$71.0 LBP 6.4M

-18.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.90 LBP 4.0M

-29.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$123 LBP 11.0M

-18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$95.8 LBP 8.6M

11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Fanar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $60.0 in Fanar. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $127 in Fanar – so Fanar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fanar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,186 in Fanar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $791 in Fanar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 147% less in Fanar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Fanar, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Fanar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fanar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Fanar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.