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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,462 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,397 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,332 in Fujairah, rent included.

Medellin is about 29% cheaper than Fujairah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Fujairah is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.00 AED 25.69

-15.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$41.28 AED 151

-20.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.89 AED 25.29

4.50%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.73 AED 21.04

-70.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.71 AED 2.62

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.51 AED 1.88

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$10.72 AED 39.35

-84.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$10.38 AED 38.10

-70.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.66 AED 6.08

-36.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.33 AED 4.88

-6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.72 AED 6.31

-19.19%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.22 AED 8.15

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.72 AED 46.67

-65.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.66 AED 28.11

-23.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$15.44 AED 56.7

-42.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.22 AED 8.16

0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.81 AED 6.65

-40.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.48 AED 5.44

3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.28 AED 4.68

7.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.02 AED 3.75

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.05 AED 3.85

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.81 AED 6.63

-53.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.50 AED 1.82

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.38 AED 23.41

-63.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$13.40 AED 49.18

-16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.60 AED 9.54

-54.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.15 AED 7.89

10.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.65 AED 6.06

-52.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$52.6 AED 193

-21.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.54 AED 5.64

-6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.65 AED 2.40

193.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.31 AED 30.48

-3.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.77 AED 2.84

22.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$45.1K AED 165.6K

-60.28%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$22.4K AED 82.1K

19.71%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$146 AED 537

-42.66%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$44.07 AED 162

-78.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$101 AED 369

-75.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$18.52 AED 68.0

39.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$38.99 AED 143

-51.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$8.80 AED 32.30

-55.45%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$221 AED 809

38.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,217 AED 19.1K

13.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$118 AED 432

-50.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$55.0 AED 202

-42.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$136 AED 499

-26.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$137 AED 504

-21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$552 AED 2,026

-11.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$410 AED 1,503

-10.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,518 AED 5,572

-45.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,101 AED 4,041

-34.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,647 AED 13.4K

-85.04%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $552 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 569% 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 $41.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $265 – 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: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,462 in Fujairah – roughly 41% apart. Fujairah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,192 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 $306 per month in Medellin and $221 in Fujairah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $1,034, than in Fujairah at $1,462. 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $1,462 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.