Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fuvahmulah

For one person, living is cheaper in Fuvahmulah: $777 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Fuvahmulah

🇲🇻 Maldives

$777

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Fuvahmulah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Fuvahmulah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $777 in Fuvahmulah.

Medellin $1,589
Fuvahmulah $777

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $1,105 in Fuvahmulah.

Medellin $2,364
Fuvahmulah $1,105

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $1,432 in Fuvahmulah.

Medellin $3,139
Fuvahmulah $1,432

Living in Medellin is roughly 104% more expensive than in Fuvahmulah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Fuvahmulah is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.5K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 148.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.1K

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,277

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

$1.75 COP 5,585

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,218

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 9,969

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,495

$1.60 MVR 24.65

-11.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,777

$0.96 MVR 14.80

154.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,191

$0.47 MVR 7.27

246.81%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,990

$1.58 MVR 24.30

78.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.9K

$6.41 MVR 98.8

51.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.7K

$4.69 MVR 72.3

98.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 42.9K

$12.84 MVR 198

4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$3.30 MVR 50.9

21.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,719

$1.27 MVR 19.52

16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,768

$3.15 MVR 48.59

-32.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,178

$1.57 MVR 24.25

43.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,092

$1.12 MVR 17.34

70.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,160

$1.12 MVR 17.20

44.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,658

$1.64 MVR 25.27

-29.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,021

$0.63 MVR 9.65

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.90 MVR 60.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$6.74 MVR 104

-43.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 41.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,083

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,188

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,731

$0.67 MVR 10.34

74.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 239.0K

$19.75 MVR 305

279.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,056

$1.67 MVR 25.69

-23.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,531

$1.58 MVR 24.36

29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.1K

$6.60 MVR 102

24.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,046

$1.26 MVR 19.50

0.79%

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

$26.8K COP 85.3M

$19.2K MVR 296.3K

39.34%

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

$34.4K COP 109.6M

$22.4K MVR 345.3K

53.63%

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

$162 COP 516.9K

$161 MVR 2,490

0.45%

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

$13.12 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 89.5K

$38.30 MVR 591

-26.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 141.2K

$22.43 MVR 346

97.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.0K

$12.70 MVR 196

28.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.4K

$6.32 MVR 97.5

-3.64%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$157 MVR 2,415

387.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.4M

$2,250 MVR 34.7K

295.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 270.8K

$29.36 MVR 453

189.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 183.2K

$19.17 MVR 296

199.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 419.8K

$37.70 MVR 581

249.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 305.1K

$52.0 MVR 802

84.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$322 MVR 4,959

219.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$259 MVR 3,996

133.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.7M

$541 MVR 8,343

233.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$516 MVR 7,957

92.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$348 MVR 5,362

371.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$669 MVR 10.3K

-6.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Fuvahmulah

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Fuvahmulah

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Fuvahmulah

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Fuvahmulah

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Fuvahmulah

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Fuvahmulah

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Fuvahmulah

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $322 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuvahmulah pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇲🇻 Fuvahmulah

🕒 Local time

02:52 2:52 AM

12:52 12:52 PM

10 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

11,140

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MVR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.29 MVR (100 MVR = 5.78 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Medellin Fuvahmulah 16,510 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

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Medellin
Fuvahmulah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, clothing, and eating out. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% 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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $322 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $764 in Medellin versus $157 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 280% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $777 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,589 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 104% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.