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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $989 per month in Suva vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in Suva vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,623 per month in Suva vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Suva is about 2% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Suva and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Suva 26% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 FJD 11.46

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.87 FJD 96.2

$32.86 COP 117.4K

33.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 FJD 14.90

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-4.23%

Cappuccino

$3.11 FJD 6.82

$1.71 COP 6,115

81.87%

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

$1.49 FJD 3.26

$1.10 COP 3,924

35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FJD 1.44

$0.78 COP 2,781

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 FJD 6.71

$1.68 COP 5,997

82.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 FJD 7.92

$3.07 COP 11.0K

17.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.84

$1.09 COP 3,906

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.07

$1.26 COP 4,508

-61.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 FJD 2.61

$1.38 COP 4,922

-13.77%

Eggs

$3.34 FJD 7.32

$2.19 COP 7,827

52.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 FJD 20.59

$4.40 COP 15.7K

113.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 FJD 16.12

$5.63 COP 20.1K

30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 FJD 16.44

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-15.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 FJD 5.41

$2.34 COP 8,349

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 FJD 5.31

$1.06 COP 3,777

128.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 FJD 7.49

$1.50 COP 5,374

127.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 FJD 6.93

$1.38 COP 4,924

128.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 FJD 3.34

$1.15 COP 4,111

33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 FJD 2.59

$1.16 COP 4,155

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 FJD 2.59

$0.89 COP 3,182

32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 FJD 1.63

$0.84 COP 2,997

-11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.73 FJD 21.34

$2.28 COP 8,145

326.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 FJD 16.81

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-28.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 FJD 4.89

$1.20 COP 4,284

85.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 FJD 7.57

$2.47 COP 8,824

39.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 FJD 1.90

$0.86 COP 3,056

1.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.82 FJD 47.85

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-47.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 FJD 1.88

$1.47 COP 5,264

-41.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 FJD 0.97

$1.96 COP 7,009

-77.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 FJD 19.47

$7.74 COP 27.6K

14.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FJD 2.94

$0.95 COP 3,409

41.05%

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

$24.4K FJD 53.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

34.35%

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

$24.9K FJD 54.6K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-5.96%

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

$45.88 FJD 101

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-44.22%

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

$12.94 FJD 28.37

$9.50 COP 33.9K

36.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 FJD 53.2

$24.23 COP 86.5K

0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 FJD 65.4

$25.89 COP 92.4K

15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.95 FJD 15.24

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-63.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 FJD 9.65

$3.93 COP 14.0K

11.96%

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

$225 FJD 493

$309 COP 1.1M

-27.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K FJD 30.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

135.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.11 FJD 57.3

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-55.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.95 FJD 59.1

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-16.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 FJD 153

$103 COP 366.4K

-31.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 FJD 135

$108 COP 387.2K

-43.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 FJD 1,277

$476 COP 1.7M

22.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 FJD 855

$379 COP 1.4M

2.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 FJD 4,471

$838 COP 3.0M

143.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 FJD 2,649

$724 COP 2.6M

66.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,369 FJD 3,003

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-50.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$852 FJD 1,868

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-29.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$988 FJD 2,168

$512 COP 1.8M

93.13%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $582 in Suva versus $476 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 93% 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 $44.00 in Suva versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $188 – 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 2%, 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 $1,483 per month in Suva and $1,519 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 $44.00 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 $989 in Suva and $1,013 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 $989, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.