Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Suva Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Suva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $989 in Suva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,806 in Suva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,623 in Suva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Suva, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Suva are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Suva 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.23 FJD 11.46

14.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$43.87 FJD 96.2

-25.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.79 FJD 14.90

4.42%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.11 FJD 6.82

-45.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.49 FJD 3.26

-26.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.66 FJD 1.44

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.06 FJD 6.71

-45.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.61 FJD 7.92

-14.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.29 FJD 2.84

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.49 FJD 1.07

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.19 FJD 2.61

15.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.34 FJD 7.32

-34.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.39 FJD 20.59

-53.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.35 FJD 16.12

-23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.50 FJD 16.44

18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.47 FJD 5.41

-5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.42 FJD 5.31

-56.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.41 FJD 7.49

-56.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.16 FJD 6.93

-56.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.53 FJD 3.34

-24.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.18 FJD 2.59

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.18 FJD 2.59

-24.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.74 FJD 1.63

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$9.73 FJD 21.34

-76.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.66 FJD 16.81

38.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.23 FJD 4.89

-46.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.45 FJD 7.57

-28.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.87 FJD 1.90

-1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$21.82 FJD 47.85

89.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.86 FJD 1.88

70.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.44 FJD 0.97

345.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.88 FJD 19.47

-12.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.34 FJD 2.94

-29.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$24.4K FJD 53.4K

-25.57%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.9K FJD 54.6K

6.34%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$45.88 FJD 101

79.27%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$12.94 FJD 28.37

-26.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$24.25 FJD 53.2

-0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.82 FJD 65.4

-13.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$6.95 FJD 15.24

173.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.40 FJD 9.65

-10.68%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$225 FJD 493

37.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.0K FJD 30.8K

-57.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$26.11 FJD 57.3

124.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$26.95 FJD 59.1

20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$69.8 FJD 153

46.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$61.7 FJD 135

75.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$582 FJD 1,277

-18.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$390 FJD 855

-2.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,039 FJD 4,471

-58.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,208 FJD 2,649

-40.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,369 FJD 3,003

103.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$852 FJD 1,868

42.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$988 FJD 2,168

-48.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.7

74.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Suva: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $582 in Suva. 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 93% higher in Suva, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Suva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $234 – 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 Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,483 in Suva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suva, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $44.00 in Suva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $989 in Suva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suva, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Suva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suva – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Suva. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.