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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $784 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,119 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,453 in Fuvahmulah.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Fuvahmulah 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.64 MVR 25.35

-35.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.89 MVR 13.83

40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.44 MVR 6.73

215.91%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.60 MVR 24.74

41.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.38 MVR 98.5

-32.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.68 MVR 72.3

24.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.87 MVR 199

-31.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.22 MVR 49.72

-30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.29 MVR 19.91

-16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.17 MVR 49.03

-51.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.59 MVR 24.57

-13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.13 MVR 17.39

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.09 MVR 16.78

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.65 MVR 25.48

-48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.67 MVR 10.33

35.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.99 MVR 61.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.80 MVR 105

-65.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.67 MVR 10.29

17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$19.50 MVR 301

110.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.58 MVR 24.38

-8.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.59 MVR 24.50

20.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.62 MVR 102

21.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.29 MVR 19.88

-27.13%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.3K MVR 297.9K

-7.05%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$22.4K MVR 345.7K

19.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$160 MVR 2,472

-47.52%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$38.10 MVR 589

-36.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.34 MVR 345

15.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$12.87 MVR 199

47.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.51 MVR 101

-39.78%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$154 MVR 2,382

98.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,288 MVR 35.4K

158.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$29.63 MVR 458

95.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.29 MVR 298

64.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$37.90 MVR 586

163.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$52.5 MVR 812

103.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$330 MVR 5,106

47.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$259 MVR 4,000

42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$556 MVR 8,592

48.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$510 MVR 7,875

40.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$342 MVR 5,289

310.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$660 MVR 10.2K

-17.36%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $330 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuvahmulah pays 21% 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, Fuvahmulah earns 21% less. 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: $487 in Medellin versus $330 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $154 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 111% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $784 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,034 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.