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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $949 per month in Suva vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Suva vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,554 per month in Suva vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Suva is about 45% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Suva sits 31% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.85 FJD 12.67

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-27.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.43 FJD 98.4

$48.26 COP 152.3K

-5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 FJD 16.79

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-20.57%

Cappuccino

$2.95 FJD 6.40

$2.91 COP 9,185

1.37%

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

$1.54 FJD 3.33

$1.94 COP 6,134

-20.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 FJD 1.62

$1.52 COP 4,801

-50.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 FJD 7.91

$3.09 COP 9,759

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 FJD 9.66

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-22.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 FJD 2.81

$1.36 COP 4,304

-4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 FJD 1.24

$2.39 COP 7,534

-76.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 FJD 2.38

$1.70 COP 5,366

-35.29%

Eggs

$3.38 FJD 7.33

$2.87 COP 9,056

17.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 FJD 22.29

$9.94 COP 31.4K

3.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 FJD 13.58

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-41.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 FJD 17.11

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-46.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 FJD 5.61

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-36.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 FJD 5.46

$1.57 COP 4,960

60.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 FJD 7.57

$2.13 COP 6,708

64.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 FJD 7.01

$2.21 COP 6,985

46.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 FJD 2.79

$2.05 COP 6,460

-37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 FJD 2.37

$1.50 COP 4,747

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 FJD 2.67

$1.19 COP 3,755

3.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 FJD 1.61

$1.16 COP 3,654

-35.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 FJD 21.75

$3.90 COP 12.3K

157.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 FJD 16.64

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-46.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 FJD 4.77

$1.58 COP 4,997

39.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 FJD 7.48

$2.83 COP 8,923

22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 FJD 2.04

$1.17 COP 3,686

-19.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.12 FJD 50.1

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-70.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 FJD 1.91

$1.28 COP 4,054

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 FJD 1.02

$2.09 COP 6,602

-77.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.28 FJD 20.09

$8.62 COP 27.2K

7.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 FJD 3.03

$1.30 COP 4,096

7.69%

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

$24.6K FJD 53.2K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

-11.15%

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

$26.0K FJD 56.3K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-26.81%

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

$45.84 FJD 99.2

$176 COP 555.6K

-73.96%

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

$13.27 FJD 28.73

$13.37 COP 42.2K

-0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 FJD 52.3

$29.89 COP 94.3K

-19.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.66 FJD 81.5

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-15.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.52 FJD 24.93

$17.06 COP 53.8K

-32.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 FJD 7.59

$6.20 COP 19.6K

-43.39%

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

$230 FJD 499

$793 COP 2.5M

-70.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K FJD 29.8K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

52.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.83 FJD 73.3

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-60.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 FJD 87.4

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-30.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 FJD 152

$136 COP 430.1K

-48.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 FJD 134

$103 COP 325.4K

-39.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 FJD 1,935

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 FJD 716

$680 COP 2.1M

-51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,740 FJD 5,931

$2,012 COP 6.3M

36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 FJD 2,192

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-13.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,381 FJD 2,989

$4,111 COP 13.0M

-66.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$832 FJD 1,800

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-51.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$985 FJD 2,132

$665 COP 2.1M

48.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

10.94

-29.62%

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

Last update for Suva: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Suva versus $1,060 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 48% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $303 – 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

Suva vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 81%, 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 $1,424 per month in Suva and $2,574 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 $48.00 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 $949 in Suva and $1,716 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 $949, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.