Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fujairah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fujairah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,461 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,385 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $3,310 in Fujairah, rent included.

Medellin is about 31% cheaper than Fujairah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Fujairah is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.87 AED 25.22

-13.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$40.24 AED 148

-18.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.64 AED 24.40

11.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.58 AED 20.49

-70.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.73 AED 2.67

50.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.52 AED 1.92

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$10.74 AED 39.46

-83.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$10.07 AED 37.00

-68.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.65 AED 6.07

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.33 AED 4.88

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.80 AED 6.60

-23.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.29 AED 8.40

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$12.87 AED 47.27

-65.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.61 AED 27.95

-23.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$15.61 AED 57.3

-42.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.23 AED 8.19

4.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.74 AED 6.41

-39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.57 AED 5.75

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.32 AED 4.85

3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.98 AED 3.59

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.00 AED 3.68

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.74 AED 6.40

-48.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.54 AED 1.97

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.28 AED 23.05

-64.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$13.53 AED 49.69

-10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.65 AED 9.74

-55.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.12 AED 7.80

16.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.66 AED 6.11

-48.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$52.7 AED 194

-21.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.54 AED 5.66

-7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.65 AED 2.38

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.02 AED 29.46

-1.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.78 AED 2.86

26.92%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$45.2K AED 165.9K

-61.03%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.3K AED 82.0K

20.05%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$146 AED 537

-43.21%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$44.24 AED 162

-78.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$102 AED 373

-76.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$17.94 AED 65.9

40.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$39.95 AED 147

-52.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$8.84 AED 32.45

-55.32%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$219 AED 803

44.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,253 AED 19.3K

13.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$114 AED 419

-47.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$54.4 AED 200

-41.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$139 AED 510

-26.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$138 AED 507

-22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$535 AED 1,966

-11.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$413 AED 1,516

-9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,487 AED 5,461

-42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,075 AED 3,949

-33.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$3,765 AED 13.8K

-83.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.88

175.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $535 in Fujairah. 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 503% higher in Fujairah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $267 – making Medellin 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 Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,461 in Fujairah – roughly 46% apart. Fujairah costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $2,191 in Fujairah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $219 in Fujairah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Fujairah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Fujairah at $1,461. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fujairah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,003 in Medellin to $1,461 in Fujairah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fujairah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.