Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vieux Fort

For one person, living is cheaper in Vieux Fort: $101 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Vieux Fort
🇱🇨 Saint Lucia
$101
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Vieux Fort

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 Vieux Fort actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $101 in Vieux Fort, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Vieux Fort $101

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $155 in Vieux Fort, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Vieux Fort $155

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $210 in Vieux Fort, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Vieux Fort $210

Medellin costs about 1523% more than Vieux Fort, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Vieux Fort is 93% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$7.92 EC$21.39
2.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$8.98 EC$24.26
5.79%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$1.18 EC$3.17
19.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
-
-
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
$1.50 EC$4.04
-22.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Vieux Fort
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Vieux Fort: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Vieux Fort
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Vieux Fort
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Vieux Fort
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Vieux Fort
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Vieux Fort
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Vieux Fort
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Vieux Fort
–
Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇱🇨 Vieux Fort
🕒 Local time
04:25 4:25 AM
05:25 5:25 AM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
16,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.01 XCD (1 XCD = 0.332 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Vieux Fort 1,800 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Vieux Fort

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 Vieux Fort: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vieux Fort cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1523%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $152 in Vieux Fort. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Vieux Fort?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vieux Fort, where all-in costs run around $101, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Vieux Fort it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Vieux Fort?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $101 in Vieux Fort to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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