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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,463 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,413 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,363 in Fujairah, rent included.

Medellin is about 31% cheaper than Fujairah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Fujairah is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.92 AED 25.43

-14.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$41.04 AED 151

-18.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.96 AED 25.58

3.88%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.81 AED 21.32

-71.94%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.79 AED 2.88

37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.52 AED 1.90

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$10.86 AED 39.90

-83.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$10.14 AED 37.24

-68.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.57 AED 5.76

-33.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.33 AED 4.87

-3.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.71 AED 6.29

-22.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.31 AED 8.49

-1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$12.95 AED 47.58

-66.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.75 AED 28.47

-24.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$15.24 AED 56.0

-43.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.28 AED 8.38

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.75 AED 6.42

-38.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.51 AED 5.54

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.26 AED 4.63

12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.03 AED 3.77

13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.04 AED 3.80

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.76 AED 6.46

-49.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.54 AED 1.97

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.32 AED 23.23

-64.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$13.83 AED 50.8

-20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.63 AED 9.65

-56.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.21 AED 8.12

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.60 AED 5.86

-47.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$53.3 AED 196

-21.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.47 AED 5.39

-4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.70 AED 2.59

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.26 AED 30.34

-6.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.74 AED 2.72

36.49%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$45.9K AED 168.5K

-61.69%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.0K AED 81.0K

20.19%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$147 AED 539

-42.94%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$45.22 AED 166

-79.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$100 AED 368

-75.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$18.47 AED 67.9

37.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$39.53 AED 145

-51.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.62 AED 31.66

-52.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$221 AED 813

41.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,275 AED 19.4K

13.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$117 AED 429

-50.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$55.4 AED 203

-41.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$134 AED 492

-25.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$138 AED 507

-21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$543 AED 1,993

-11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$415 AED 1,524

-8.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,523 AED 5,595

-45.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,081 AED 3,972

-33.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$3,671 AED 13.5K

-85.26%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $543 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 579% 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 $266 – 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $1,463 in Fujairah – roughly 44% apart. Fujairah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,195 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 $312 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 $1,017, than in Fujairah at $1,463. 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,463 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.