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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $964 in Suva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,795 in Suva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,626 in Suva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 7% more than Suva, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Suva are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Suva 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.26 FJD 11.76

17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$45.35 FJD 102

-28.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.62 FJD 14.81

10.88%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.26 FJD 7.30

-47.24%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.41 FJD 3.15

-25.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.67 FJD 1.49

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.05 FJD 6.82

-44.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.67 FJD 8.20

-13.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.28 FJD 2.87

-17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.50 FJD 1.11

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.15 FJD 2.58

21.74%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.30 FJD 7.38

-34.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.09 FJD 20.35

-51.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.25 FJD 16.22

-18.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.56 FJD 16.91

14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.56 FJD 5.73

-10.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.53 FJD 5.67

-56.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.57 FJD 7.99

-57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.25 FJD 7.27

-58.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.49 FJD 3.33

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.17 FJD 2.62

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.21 FJD 2.71

-29.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.76 FJD 1.71

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$9.87 FJD 22.10

-76.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.47 FJD 16.71

65.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.15 FJD 4.80

-44.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.35 FJD 7.49

-25.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.93 FJD 2.08

-9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$21.89 FJD 48.98

85.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.91 FJD 2.03

56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.44 FJD 0.99

336.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.83 FJD 19.76

-13.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.39 FJD 3.10

-28.78%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.3K FJD 54.4K

-25.82%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.0K FJD 56.0K

6.49%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.01 FJD 101

79.54%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.15 FJD 29.44

-24.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$23.78 FJD 53.2

1.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$29.58 FJD 66.2

-15.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.07 FJD 15.83

170.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.51 FJD 10.10

-11.75%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$230 FJD 514

32.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.4K FJD 32.1K

-57.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$25.53 FJD 57.1

127.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.96 FJD 60.4

19.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$69.6 FJD 156

44.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$61.5 FJD 138

75.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$588 FJD 1,315

-18.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$383 FJD 858

-1.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,070 FJD 4,633

-59.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,222 FJD 2,736

-40.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,350 FJD 3,021

138.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$838 FJD 1,875

63.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$949 FJD 2,125

-35.03%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Suva: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $588 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 54% 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 $45.00 in Suva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 7%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,445 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 $45.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $964 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 $964, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.