Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fiji Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fiji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $694 in Fiji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,182 in Fiji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,670 in Fiji.

Living in Medellin is roughly 48% more expensive than in Fiji, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Fiji 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.54 FJD 10.15

35.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$44.27 FJD 99.1

-26.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.66 FJD 17.15

-4.18%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.28 FJD 5.10

-24.56%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.35 FJD 3.01

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.15 FJD 2.58

-33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.81 FJD 6.30

-39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.38 FJD 7.57

-6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.28 FJD 2.86

-17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.65 FJD 1.46

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.51 FJD 3.38

-7.28%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.22 FJD 4.97

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.80 FJD 24.17

-59.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.75 FJD 8.39

56.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$2.27 FJD 5.08

280.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.74 FJD 3.88

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.51 FJD 3.37

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.05 FJD 4.59

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.81 FJD 4.06

-25.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.42 FJD 3.18

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.50 FJD 3.36

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.97 FJD 2.17

-12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.74 FJD 1.65

22.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$11.32 FJD 25.34

-79.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.38 FJD 14.28

93.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.76 FJD 6.18

-56.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.44 FJD 5.47

2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.86 FJD 1.91

-2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.08 FJD 2.41

31.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.27 FJD 2.83

-22.05%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$46.0K FJD 103.0K

-60.82%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$53.7 FJD 120

50.54%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.46 FJD 30.12

-26.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$17.50 FJD 39.17

38.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$22.24 FJD 49.77

12.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.52 FJD 10.12

323.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.90 FJD 8.74

2.05%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$44.36 FJD 99.3

587.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$8.23 FJD 18.41

606.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$29.55 FJD 66.1

240.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$680 FJD 1,522

-29.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$262 FJD 587

43.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,101 FJD 2,465

-23.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$598 FJD 1,339

22.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,285 FJD 2,876

150.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,327 FJD 2,969

3.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$540 FJD 1,209

14.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fiji: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $680 in Fiji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 14% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Fiji. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $179, with Fiji cheaper for home cooking.

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 Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $680 in Fiji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $694 in Fiji – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $694 in Fiji versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fiji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Fiji are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.