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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,292 in Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $3,601 in Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $4,910 in Freeport.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 55% less than in Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Freeport is 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$22.32 BSD 22.32

-72.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$102 BSD 102

-67.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.96 BSD 11.96

-38.63%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.37 BSD 5.37

-67.97%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.21 BSD 2.21

-52.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.64 BSD 1.64

-53.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.51 BSD 4.51

-62.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.83 BSD 7.83

-59.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.73 BSD 1.73

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.73 BSD 3.73

-65.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$5.45 BSD 5.45

-74.31%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$8.15 BSD 8.15

-73.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.94 BSD 8.94

-50.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.92 BSD 2.92

-61.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$6.47 BSD 6.47

-79.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.26 BSD 2.26

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$3.27 BSD 3.27

-74.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.85 BSD 1.85

-50.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$20.14 BSD 20.14

-38.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$4.25 BSD 4.25

-71.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.46 BSD 1.46

-42.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.97 BSD 2.97

-52.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.50 BSD 1.50

-34.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.5K BSD 35.5K

-24.99%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$119 BSD 119

-32.01%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$40.10 BSD 40.10

-75.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$65.2 BSD 65.2

-62.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$48.01 BSD 48.01

-47.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$375 BSD 375

-18.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,875 BSD 7,875

-23.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.67 BSD 46.67

24.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.31 BSD 25.31

27.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$95.1 BSD 95.1

5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$78.8 BSD 78.8

36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,191 BSD 1,191

-60.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,306 BSD 1,306

-71.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,103 BSD 2,103

-59.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,407 BSD 2,407

-69.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Freeport: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,191 in Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $102 in Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $287 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 122% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $2,292 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $3,438 in Freeport 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,191 in Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $375 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 $102 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,292 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 122% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.