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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Suva is about 7% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 FJD 11.76

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-14.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.35 FJD 102

$32.60 COP 106.0K

39.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 FJD 14.81

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-9.81%

Cappuccino

$3.26 FJD 7.30

$1.72 COP 5,592

89.53%

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

$1.41 FJD 3.15

$1.05 COP 3,416

34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 FJD 1.49

$0.77 COP 2,511

-12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 FJD 6.82

$1.69 COP 5,480

80.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 FJD 8.20

$3.17 COP 10.3K

15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 FJD 2.87

$1.05 COP 3,418

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 FJD 1.11

$1.30 COP 4,230

-61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 FJD 2.58

$1.40 COP 4,538

-17.86%

Eggs

$3.30 FJD 7.38

$2.16 COP 7,037

52.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 FJD 20.35

$4.39 COP 14.3K

107.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 FJD 16.22

$5.88 COP 19.1K

23.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 FJD 16.91

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-12.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 FJD 5.73

$2.28 COP 7,415

12.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.67

$1.11 COP 3,599

127.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 FJD 7.99

$1.53 COP 4,976

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 FJD 7.27

$1.35 COP 4,405

140.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 FJD 3.33

$1.13 COP 3,669

31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 FJD 2.62

$1.13 COP 3,687

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 FJD 2.71

$0.85 COP 2,749

42.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 FJD 1.71

$0.91 COP 2,971

-16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 FJD 22.10

$2.34 COP 7,619

321.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 FJD 16.71

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-39.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 FJD 4.80

$1.20 COP 3,904

79.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 FJD 7.49

$2.49 COP 8,094

34.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 FJD 2.08

$0.84 COP 2,724

10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.89 FJD 48.98

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-46.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 FJD 2.03

$1.42 COP 4,617

-35.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.99

$1.92 COP 6,227

-77.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.83 FJD 19.76

$7.66 COP 24.9K

15.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 FJD 3.10

$0.99 COP 3,219

40.40%

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

$24.3K FJD 54.4K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

34.82%

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

$25.0K FJD 56.0K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-6.09%

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

$45.01 FJD 101

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-44.30%

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

$13.15 FJD 29.44

$9.95 COP 32.3K

32.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 FJD 53.2

$24.18 COP 78.6K

-1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.58 FJD 66.2

$25.08 COP 81.5K

17.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.07 FJD 15.83

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-63.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 FJD 10.10

$3.98 COP 13.0K

13.32%

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

$230 FJD 514

$305 COP 992.2K

-24.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K FJD 32.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

137.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.53 FJD 57.1

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-56.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.96 FJD 60.4

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-16.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 FJD 156

$101 COP 327.5K

-30.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.5 FJD 138

$108 COP 350.3K

-42.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 FJD 1,315

$477 COP 1.5M

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 FJD 858

$376 COP 1.2M

1.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 FJD 4,633

$845 COP 2.7M

145.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 FJD 2,736

$730 COP 2.4M

67.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,350 FJD 3,021

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-58.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$838 FJD 1,875

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-38.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 FJD 2,125

$617 COP 2.0M

53.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

13.43

-42.67%

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

Last update for Suva: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $588 in Suva versus $477 in Medellin. 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 $45.00 in Suva versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $193 – 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

Suva vs Medellin: 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 $1,445 per month in Suva and $1,546 in Medellin. 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 $45.00 in Suva and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $964 in Suva and $1,031 in Medellin. 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.