Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Franco da Rocha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Franco da Rocha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $808 in Franco da Rocha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,314 in Franco da Rocha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,820 in Franco da Rocha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 24% more expensive than in Franco da Rocha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Franco da Rocha 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$6.21 R$31.79

-4.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$33.00 R$169

-0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.01 R$35.90

5.99%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.79 R$9.18

-7.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.32 R$6.76

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.93 R$4.74

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.82 R$9.31

-5.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.35 R$17.16

-5.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.10 R$5.63

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.51 R$7.75

-16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.30 R$6.66

6.15%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.40 R$12.27

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.33 R$42.65

-46.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.88 R$19.87

49.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.79 R$44.98

2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.28 R$11.69

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.75 R$8.96

-39.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.46 R$7.47

4.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.53 R$7.82

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.26 R$6.45

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.13 R$5.77

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.80 R$4.09

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.64 R$3.30

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.63 R$13.44

-15.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.58 R$43.91

41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.37 R$7.02

-13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.49 R$17.87

-28.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.87 R$4.44

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$38.70 R$198

7.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.93 R$4.73

52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.02 R$5.19

91.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$8.88 R$45.44

-11.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.01 R$5.18

-1.98%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$22.5K R$115.4K

-21.92%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$29.5K R$151.1K

-9.23%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$46.35 R$237

79.09%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$15.23 R$78.0

-36.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$18.59 R$95.1

26.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$22.22 R$114

13.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$21.82 R$112

-12.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$5.31 R$27.16

-25.61%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$308 R$1,578

2.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,817 R$34.9K

-12.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$56.7 R$290

5.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$50.8 R$260

-37.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$83.9 R$429

21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$72.3 R$370

48.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$311 R$1,591

52.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$218 R$1,114

71.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$580 R$2,969

46.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$433 R$2,215

66.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,528 R$7,821

113.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,221 R$6,250

17.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Franco da Rocha: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $311 in Franco da Rocha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $33.00 in Franco da Rocha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $195 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 Franco da Rocha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Franco da Rocha differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $808 including rent). Franco da Rocha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,211 in Franco da Rocha 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: $475 in Medellin versus $311 in Franco da Rocha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $808 in Franco da Rocha – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Franco da Rocha runs roughly 8% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $808 in Franco da Rocha versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Franco da Rocha but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Franco da Rocha 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.

Expats usually find Franco da Rocha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.