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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $959 in Suva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,719 in Suva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,480 in Suva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 75% more than Suva, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Suva is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.99 FJD 13.32

33.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$45.49 FJD 101

5.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.75 FJD 17.22

27.61%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.00 FJD 6.68

4.33%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.59 FJD 3.54

20.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.75 FJD 1.66

101.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.64 FJD 8.08

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.38 FJD 9.74

31.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.30 FJD 2.88

10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.58 FJD 1.28

329.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.09 FJD 2.42

62.39%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.41 FJD 7.57

-13.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.28 FJD 22.83

-2.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.30 FJD 13.99

60.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.01 FJD 17.81

78.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.54 FJD 5.65

62.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.59 FJD 5.76

-37.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.43 FJD 7.63

-34.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.26 FJD 7.24

-30.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.23 FJD 2.74

65.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.09 FJD 2.42

41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.17 FJD 2.61

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.74 FJD 1.65

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$9.99 FJD 22.20

-60.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.62 FJD 16.94

83.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.07 FJD 4.61

-15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.41 FJD 7.57

-15.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.88 FJD 1.95

38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$22.31 FJD 49.58

260.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.87 FJD 1.94

50.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.46 FJD 1.03

376.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$8.79 FJD 19.54

-0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.37 FJD 3.04

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$25.1K FJD 55.9K

10.69%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.3K FJD 56.1K

41.64%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$46.69 FJD 104

279.74%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$12.86 FJD 28.57

7.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$24.29 FJD 54.0

22.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$36.37 FJD 80.8

23.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$11.23 FJD 24.95

52.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.40 FJD 7.56

95.59%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$227 FJD 504

258.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$13.7K FJD 30.5K

-33.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$33.30 FJD 74.0

168.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$40.07 FJD 89.0

47.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$69.6 FJD 155

98.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$62.9 FJD 140

62.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$904 FJD 2,009

17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$333 FJD 740

99.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,661 FJD 5,913

-29.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$997 FJD 2,216

3.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,341 FJD 2,979

212.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$829 FJD 1,842

102.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$979 FJD 2,175

-30.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.7

42.08%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Suva: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $904 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 44% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Suva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $233 – making Suva 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 75%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,439 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 $48.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $959 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 $959, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.