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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,472 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,030 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,588 in Fujairah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Fujairah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Fujairah sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Fujairah by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$7.45 AED 27.35

7.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$41.61 AED 153

15.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.83 AED 28.74

26.31%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$5.45 AED 20.03

-42.57%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.09 AED 3.99

75.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.40 AED 1.47

277.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$9.07 AED 33.30

-65.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$9.58 AED 35.18

-39.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.64 AED 6.03

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.39 AED 5.10

79.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.90 AED 6.96

-6.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.40 AED 8.80

23.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$12.79 AED 46.97

-21.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$9.59 AED 35.23

5.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$8.28 AED 30.41

72.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.73 AED 6.34

139.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.60 AED 5.88

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.55 AED 5.69

45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$0.92 AED 3.39

144.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.85 AED 3.11

140.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.93 AED 3.40

65.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.86 AED 3.16

36.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.44 AED 1.61

197.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$5.49 AED 20.16

-28.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$13.58 AED 49.86

3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.23 AED 8.18

-21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.39 AED 8.78

20.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$3.29 AED 12.08

-62.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$40.28 AED 148

99.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.79 AED 10.26

-53.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.53 AED 1.94

313.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$7.97 AED 29.29

9.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.88 AED 3.23

55.68%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$25.9K AED 95.0K

7.56%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$20.2K AED 74.4K

76.68%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$121 AED 446

46.07%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$44.71 AED 164

-68.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$78.6 AED 289

-62.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$47.12 AED 173

-4.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$13.82 AED 50.8

23.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.00 AED 40.38

-39.55%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$261 AED 958

211.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,449 AED 16.3K

106.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$21.47 AED 78.8

316.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$13.80 AED 50.7

327.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$73.8 AED 271

87.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$61.9 AED 227

64.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$586 AED 2,153

81.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$523 AED 1,921

26.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$5,241 AED 19.2K

-63.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$4,635 AED 17.0K

-77.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,679 AED 13.5K

-81.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.5

337.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $586 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 443% higher in Fujairah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $244 – making Fujairah 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,472 in Fujairah – roughly 14% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,208 in Fujairah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $261 in Fujairah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fujairah, where all-in costs run around $1,472, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Fujairah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,472 in Fujairah to $1,681 in Medellin. 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 Fujairah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.