Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fuvahmulah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fuvahmulah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $757 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,112 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,467 in Fuvahmulah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 32% more expensive than in Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Fuvahmulah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.66 MVR 25.67

-33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.89 MVR 13.73

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.46 MVR 7.13

200.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.59 MVR 24.51

37.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.39 MVR 98.6

-29.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.76 MVR 73.5

21.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.93 MVR 199

-30.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.22 MVR 49.72

-27.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.29 MVR 19.88

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.22 MVR 49.71

-52.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.61 MVR 24.82

-15.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.11 MVR 17.14

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.08 MVR 16.61

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.59 MVR 24.57

-43.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.67 MVR 10.40

34.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.77 MVR 58.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.91 MVR 107

-67.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.63 MVR 9.66

34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$19.09 MVR 294

118.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.65 MVR 25.49

-13.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.60 MVR 24.62

21.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.45 MVR 99.5

22.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.33 MVR 20.49

-25.56%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.1K MVR 295.2K

-8.06%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.0K MVR 354.9K

16.42%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$161 MVR 2,480

-48.39%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$37.82 MVR 583

-37.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.85 MVR 352

10.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$12.92 MVR 199

47.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.53 MVR 101

-39.51%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$159 MVR 2,449

98.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,276 MVR 35.1K

162.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$29.35 MVR 453

104.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$19.06 MVR 294

66.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$38.01 MVR 586

167.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$52.1 MVR 803

106.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$324 MVR 4,995

46.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$255 MVR 3,933

46.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$552 MVR 8,515

53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$511 MVR 7,872

40.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$342 MVR 5,269

321.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$658 MVR 10.1K

-5.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $324 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuvahmulah pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Fuvahmulah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuvahmulah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Fuvahmulah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $324 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $159 in Fuvahmulah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Fuvahmulah runs roughly 118% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $757 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fuvahmulah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Fuvahmulah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fuvahmulah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Fuvahmulah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fuvahmulah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.