Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fourways Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fourways

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,081 in Fourways, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,656 in Fourways, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,232 in Fourways, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Fourways, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Fourways is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.43 R 154

-14.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$38.83 R 636

23.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.43 R 88.9

82.14%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.37 R 38.74

32.07%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.10 R 18.04

73.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.89 R 14.51

69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.43 R 39.77

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.81 R 46.05

104.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.22 R 20.02

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.16 R 18.96

114.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.74 R 28.57

1.72%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.56 R 41.85

15.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.97 R 131

26.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.67 R 76.6

116.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.59 R 124

88.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.46 R 23.87

183.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.64 R 26.87

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.83 R 30.04

22.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.66 R 27.25

35.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.20 R 19.65

70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.22 R 19.99

26.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.25 R 20.41

-6.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.06 R 17.41

23.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.26 R 53.4

19.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.28 R 86.6

165.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.54 R 25.22

12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.94 R 31.73

47.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.32 R 5.29

309.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.78 R 12.78

180.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$14.57 R 239

-40.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.55 R 25.43

-11.61%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$29.8K R 487.6K

-6.50%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.7K R 454.4K

28.94%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$89.7 R 1,469

97.66%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$37.32 R 611

-62.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$37.60 R 616

-20.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$32.69 R 535

37.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$17.02 R 279

0.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.32 R 120

-9.15%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$267 R 4,380

204.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$8,164 R 133.7K

12.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$54.8 R 898

63.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$32.81 R 537

79.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$78.6 R 1,287

75.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$85.2 R 1,395

19.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$396 R 6,490

168.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$405 R 6,633

63.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$741 R 12.1K

154.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$698 R 11.4K

47.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,667 R 27.3K

-59.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.34

-3.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Fourways: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $396 in Fourways. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 146% higher in Fourways, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Fourways. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $190 – making Fourways the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Fourways: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 56% more than Fourways, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,621 in Fourways. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fourways, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Fourways. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fourways, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Fourways it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fourways costs $1,081 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Fourways. 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.