Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Forbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Forbes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,616 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $3,747 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $4,878 in Forbes.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 36% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Forbes 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.5K

$19.05 A$26.74

-57.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$97.2 A$136

-50.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$10.94 A$15.36

-9.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,941

$3.52 A$4.95

-11.08%

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

$1.91 COP 6,061

$3.29 A$4.62

-41.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,796

$2.63 A$3.69

-42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,921

$8.40 A$11.80

-62.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$9.00 A$12.63

-36.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,590

$1.56 A$2.19

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,898

$2.86 A$4.02

-12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,634

$2.20 A$3.08

-19.55%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,400

$5.28 A$7.41

-43.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$8.50 A$11.94

18.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$8.22 A$11.54

23.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$14.34 A$20.13

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$3.32 A$4.67

24.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,109

$3.35 A$4.71

-51.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,132

$3.21 A$4.51

-29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,154

$4.39 A$6.16

-48.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,489

$3.09 A$4.33

-33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,876

$2.66 A$3.73

-42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,716

$2.80 A$3.93

-58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,150

$1.84 A$2.59

-28.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$37.66 A$52.9

-89.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$12.24 A$17.18

14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,536

$4.44 A$6.23

-60.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,116

$5.28 A$7.42

-45.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,860

$3.21 A$4.50

-61.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

$75.3 A$106

6.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,157

$3.30 A$4.63

-60.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,947

$1.41 A$1.97

55.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$42.56 A$59.8

-79.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,336

$1.13 A$1.58

21.24%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$27.0K A$37.9K

2.97%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$29.5K A$41.4K

21.18%

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

$177 COP 563.1K

$214 A$300

-17.09%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$24.68 A$34.64

-43.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$62.0 A$87.0

-52.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.6K

$56.3 A$79.0

-20.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$15.63 A$21.93

9.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$16.17 A$22.70

-58.87%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$2,456 A$3,447

-66.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$23.9K A$33.5K

-61.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.3K

$75.4 A$106

18.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.3K

$57.4 A$80.6

2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 439.0K

$98.7 A$139

39.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.4K

$121 A$170

-15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,625 A$2,282

-34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,193 A$1,674

-44.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,435 A$3,418

-22.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$1,807 A$2,537

-43.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$5,404 A$7,585

-22.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$4,586 A$6,437

-63.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.87

86.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Forbes: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,625 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $97.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $360 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Forbes differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $2,616 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $3,924 in Forbes 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,625 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $2,616 in Forbes – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 7% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,616 in Forbes, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Forbes 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.