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: $1,618 in Medellin versus $2,546 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,460 in Medellin versus $3,615 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,302 in Medellin versus $4,685 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 19% above, Forbes 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.6K

$18.19 A$25.80

-57.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 138.2K

$76.4 A$108

-43.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.4K

$10.04 A$14.24

-5.38%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,973

$4.40 A$6.25

-36.14%

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

$1.84 COP 5,862

$3.09 A$4.39

-40.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,813

$2.06 A$2.92

-26.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,849

$6.63 A$9.41

-53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.5K

$7.03 A$9.97

-21.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,293

$1.79 A$2.54

-25.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,363

$2.30 A$3.26

0.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,692

$2.13 A$3.03

-30.99%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,583

$5.42 A$7.69

-50.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.3K

$10.12 A$14.36

-12.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 34.0K

$8.62 A$12.23

23.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 46.2K

$13.34 A$18.92

8.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.0K

$4.06 A$5.76

-7.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,429

$3.45 A$4.89

-59.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,096

$3.80 A$5.39

-41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,324

$4.01 A$5.69

-50.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,562

$2.39 A$3.39

-14.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,109

$2.23 A$3.16

-28.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,327

$2.46 A$3.49

-57.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,052

$1.63 A$2.31

-22.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 12.0K

$36.40 A$51.6

-89.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.8K

$13.33 A$18.91

-1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,035

$5.07 A$7.19

-68.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,642

$5.30 A$7.51

-43.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,730

$2.92 A$4.14

-59.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 242.6K

$89.1 A$126

-14.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,800

$3.57 A$5.06

-57.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,662

$1.73 A$2.46

20.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.9K

$39.45 A$56.0

-79.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 4,032

$1.08 A$1.53

16.67%

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

$26.9K COP 85.9M

$25.1K A$35.6K

7.11%

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

$34.9K COP 111.4M

$27.2K A$38.6K

28.15%

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

$148 COP 473.7K

$217 A$308

-31.58%

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

$13.03 COP 41.6K

$31.05 A$44.05

-58.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 100.5K

$51.7 A$73.4

-39.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 145.3K

$63.5 A$90.1

-28.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 54.3K

$16.44 A$23.32

3.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 20.2K

$15.82 A$22.44

-60.05%

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

$837 COP 2.7M

$2,286 A$3,243

-63.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.7M

$19.9K A$28.2K

-56.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 283.6K

$86.6 A$123

2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 175.4K

$61.1 A$86.7

-10.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 429.5K

$104 A$147

29.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.9K

$138 A$196

-21.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$1,471 A$2,087

-36.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$1,103 A$1,565

-41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.2M

$2,458 A$3,488

-21.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.6M

$1,944 A$2,758

-42.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.6M

$5,674 A$8,049

-35.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 5.0M

$4,938 A$7,004

-68.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.81

79.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Forbes: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $939 in Medellin and $1,471 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Medellin vs $76.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $365 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 57% in total monthly costs ($1,618 vs $2,546 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,427 in Medellin and $3,819 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: $939 in Medellin versus $1,471 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,618 per month in Medellin versus $2,546 in Forbes – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 17% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,618 in Medellin versus $2,546 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 57% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.