Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Freeport Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Freeport

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,316 in Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,584 in Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $4,852 in Freeport.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 56% less than in Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Freeport is 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$22.54 BSD 22.54

-73.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$101 BSD 101

-67.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$12.09 BSD 12.09

-41.36%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$5.57 BSD 5.57

-69.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.19 BSD 2.19

-49.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.60 BSD 1.60

-51.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$4.58 BSD 4.58

-63.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$8.08 BSD 8.08

-62.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.80 BSD 1.80

-39.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.71 BSD 3.71

-66.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$5.42 BSD 5.42

-74.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$8.40 BSD 8.40

-73.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.07 BSD 9.07

-51.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.85 BSD 2.85

-62.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$6.72 BSD 6.72

-79.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.23 BSD 2.23

-47.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$3.27 BSD 3.27

-72.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.90 BSD 1.90

-55.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$20.21 BSD 20.21

-47.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$4.25 BSD 4.25

-71.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.49 BSD 1.49

-42.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.99 BSD 2.99

-50.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.51 BSD 1.51

-37.09%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$34.5K BSD 34.5K

-23.18%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$120 BSD 120

-31.24%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$40.62 BSD 40.62

-76.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$63.6 BSD 63.6

-61.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$46.97 BSD 46.97

-44.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$376 BSD 376

-17.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,032 BSD 8,032

-25.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$47.00 BSD 47.00

24.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$24.61 BSD 24.61

31.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$94.8 BSD 94.8

8.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$79.5 BSD 79.5

36.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,169 BSD 1,169

-59.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,302 BSD 1,302

-70.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,113 BSD 2,113

-60.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,388 BSD 2,388

-69.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,552 BSD 1,552

-67.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.38

29.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Freeport: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,169 in Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Freeport pays 203% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $101 in Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $290 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 Freeport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Freeport differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $2,316 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Freeport earns 203% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $1,169 in Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $376 in Freeport. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $101 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,316 in Freeport, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Freeport. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.