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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $783 in Fanar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,303 in Fanar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,822 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$10.03 LBP 897.8K

-40.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$60.1 LBP 5.4M

-45.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$7.82 LBP 699.5K

-5.12%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$0.79 LBP 70.3K

108.86%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.63 LBP 146.0K

-34.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

-12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.52 LBP 135.6K

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.87 LBP 435.5K

-34.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.02 LBP 90.9K

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.51 LBP 45.7K

156.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

36.73%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.47 LBP 220.9K

-11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

-61.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.05 LBP 273.1K

86.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$4.93 LBP 441.0K

72.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$0.49 LBP 43.5K

377.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$0.48 LBP 43.2K

131.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.91 LBP 81.6K

67.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.48 LBP 43.4K

185.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.48 LBP 43.3K

139.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.88 LBP 78.4K

34.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.31 LBP 28.2K

170.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.39 LBP 34.7K

120.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$1.23 LBP 109.8K

83.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$10.07 LBP 901.0K

15.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.54 LBP 138.0K

61.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.95 LBP 174.2K

-59.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$101 LBP 9.0M

-59.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$5.12 LBP 458.4K

-71.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

54.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$20.13 LBP 1.8M

-61.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

13.48%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-49.02%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

-6.13%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$149 LBP 13.4M

-45.67%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$38.19 LBP 3.4M

-75.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$29.79 LBP 2.7M

-19.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$20.10 LBP 1.8M

29.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$24.76 LBP 2.2M

-24.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.11 LBP 457.4K

-19.96%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$308 LBP 27.6M

2.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,360 LBP 390.2M

38.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$69.8 LBP 6.2M

-14.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$45.40 LBP 4.1M

-29.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$121 LBP 10.8M

-16.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$94.4 LBP 8.4M

11.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Fanar: June 14, 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 $142 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,175 in Fanar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $783 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 $783, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.