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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,546 in Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $4,014 in Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $5,481 in Freeport.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 34% less than in Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Freeport 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$48.19 BSD 48.19

-83.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$101 BSD 101

-52.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$12.65 BSD 12.65

-21.82%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.48 BSD 6.48

-51.70%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.13 BSD 3.13

-38.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.85 BSD 2.85

-47.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.71 BSD 4.71

-33.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.85 BSD 6.85

-16.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.53 BSD 2.53

-43.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.38 BSD 3.38

-26.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$6.43 BSD 6.43

-72.47%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$10.02 BSD 10.02

-70.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.75 BSD 12.75

-21.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$4.33 BSD 4.33

-62.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$13.47 BSD 13.47

-83.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$11.04 BSD 11.04

-79.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$4.89 BSD 4.89

-76.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$3.56 BSD 3.56

-63.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$15.04 BSD 15.04

-74.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$19.78 BSD 19.78

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.54 BSD 1.54

-11.04%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.4K BSD 34.4K

4.11%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$352 BSD 352

-49.60%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$63.1 BSD 63.1

-78.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$76.1 BSD 76.1

-60.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$63.6 BSD 63.6

-29.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$50.8 BSD 50.8

-66.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$617 BSD 617

31.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$8,500 BSD 8,500

8.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$49.66 BSD 49.66

80.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$88.6 BSD 88.6

56.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$59.1 BSD 59.1

72.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,008 BSD 1,008

5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$933 BSD 933

-28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,280 BSD 2,280

-17.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,967 BSD 1,967

-47.79%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-27.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Freeport: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,008 in Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $101 in Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $400 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,681 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 $2,521 in Medellin and $3,819 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,008 in Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $617 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 $48.00 versus $101 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,546 in Freeport, a $2,500 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 51% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.