Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Florence

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,435 in Florence, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Florence, Italy
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Florence
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,435
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Florence

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Florence actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,435 in Florence, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Florence $2,435

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $3,689 in Florence, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Florence $3,689

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $4,944 in Florence, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Florence $4,944

Medellin is about 33% cheaper than Florence, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Florence sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Florence by 79%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Florence
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$27.07 €24.32
-70.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$77.2 €69.3
-39.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$14.74 €13.24
-35.55%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$2.30 €2.07
30.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$3.24 €2.91
-44.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$1.43 €1.28
-1.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$6.82 €6.12
-53.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$7.74 €6.95
-25.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Florence
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.84 €1.66
-17.93%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$2.53 €2.28
-5.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$2.87 €2.58
-38.33%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$4.65 €4.18
-37.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$26.22 €23.55
-61.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$12.16 €10.93
-18.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$25.50 €22.91
-45.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$2.98 €2.68
33.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$2.57 €2.31
-39.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$3.28 €2.95
-33.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$3.18 €2.86
-31.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$2.28 €2.04
-14.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$1.84 €1.65
-13.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$1.83 €1.64
-37.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.66 €0.59
87.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$7.36 €6.61
-46.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$7.92 €7.11
72.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$1.99 €1.79
-16.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$3.07 €2.76
-26.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Florence
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$1.95 €1.75
-40.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$42.87 €38.51
80.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$3.72 €3.34
-65.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$1.20 €1.08
70.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$31.25 €28.07
-72.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$2.17 €1.95
-37.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$36.2K €32.5K
-5.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$37.5K €33.7K
-7.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Florence
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$243 €218
-30.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$11.82 €10.62
14.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$33.27 €29.89
-15.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Florence
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$60.1 €54.0
-27.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
$20.77 €18.66
-17.24%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$11.28 €10.13
-38.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Florence
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$768 €690
3.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$17.0K €15.3K
-46.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Florence
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$97.8 €87.8
-13.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$39.25 €35.26
47.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$108 €96.9
25.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$149 €133
-34.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Florence
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$1,552 €1,394
-22.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$1,063 €955
-39.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$2,707 €2,431
-25.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$1,858 €1,669
-45.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$6,362 €5,715
-34.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$4,104 €3,687
-53.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Florence
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,982 €1,780
-66.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.16
246.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Florence: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Florence
$1.1K 65.7% $422
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Florence
$407 37% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Florence
$288 36.4% $77
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Florence
$357 110% $187
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Florence
$177 4.8% $8
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Florence
$60 35.4% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Florence
$83 43.6% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,552 in Florence. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Florence are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $77 in Florence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $407 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇮🇹 Florence
🕒 Local time
21:50 9:50 PM
03:50 3:50 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
382,808
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Florence 9,270 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Florence

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
Medellin vs Florence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Florence compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,639 in Medellin, $2,435 in Florence – Medellin comes out roughly 33% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Florence?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $3,652 in Florence. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Florence?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,552 in Florence.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Florence?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,435 in Florence. That makes Medellin about 33% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Medellin and in Florence?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Florence. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Florence?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,435 in Florence. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Medellin and Florence?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Florence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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