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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $762 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,110 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,458 in Fuvahmulah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Fuvahmulah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.65 MVR 25.49

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.95 MVR 14.69

35.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.47 MVR 7.21

180.85%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.59 MVR 24.47

42.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.58 MVR 101

-33.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.83 MVR 74.5

21.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.75 MVR 197

-32.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.29 MVR 50.8

-31.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.31 MVR 20.21

-18.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.19 MVR 49.13

-52.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.65 MVR 25.39

-13.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.08 MVR 16.61

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.13 MVR 17.42

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.58 MVR 24.30

-43.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.64 MVR 9.82

40.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.95 MVR 60.9

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.85 MVR 106

-67.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.63 MVR 9.79

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$19.32 MVR 298

117.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.67 MVR 25.70

-15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.58 MVR 24.29

20.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.63 MVR 102

16.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.34 MVR 20.64

-24.63%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.3K MVR 298.3K

-9.12%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.5K MVR 346.2K

17.99%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$162 MVR 2,503

-48.44%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$38.72 MVR 597

-37.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.37 MVR 345

13.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$13.18 MVR 203

45.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.59 MVR 102

-37.78%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$158 MVR 2,437

97.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,282 MVR 35.2K

162.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$29.17 MVR 450

98.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.37 MVR 299

68.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$37.61 MVR 580

164.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$51.7 MVR 797

110.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$326 MVR 5,021

48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$259 MVR 3,994

46.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$544 MVR 8,392

53.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$517 MVR 7,978

39.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$348 MVR 5,369

251.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$645 MVR 9,944

-16.13%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $326 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuvahmulah pays 19% 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 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Fuvahmulah earns 19% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $326 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $158 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 117% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $762 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,017 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 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.