San Francisco vs Medellín: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?

Medellín costs roughly 2.5x less than San Francisco. San Francisco leads on digital nomad infrastructure, with faster average internet speeds. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.

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San Francisco is approximately 7.1x more expensive than Medellín based on cost of living including rent. This makes Medellín a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.

Medellín has a FIRE Score of 71/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 60, which is relatively safe.

Recommended profile: Medellín is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.

Nomad70

About San Francisco

Best for digital nomads given its Nomad Score 80, fast internet, and abundant coworking. Internet speed of 250 Mbps and abundant coworking support its strong nomad appeal. The high cost of living, budget lifestyle $4500 monthly, undermines FIRE goals, as shown by a FIRE Score of 17.

MONTHLY DEFICIT

$-3,500/mo

Nomad Viability
High Rating

Cost of Living (Without Rent)

Single Person$1,502/mo
Family of Four$5,426/mo

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$3,200
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$2,400
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$5,800
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$4,200

Attractiveness

FIRE Score
23/100
Retiree Score
47/100
Nomad Score
78/100


City Details
Overall Winner
Nomad78
Reconsider TravelThe US State Dept advises against travel to Colombia. This is reflected in the FIRE, Nomad & Retiree scores below. View official advisory →Scores are penalized 10 points across FIRE, Nomad & Retiree ratings.
MONTHLY SAVINGS

$1,400/mo

Nomad Viability
Moderate Suitability

Cost of Living (Without Rent)

Single Person$597/mo
Family of Four$2,156/mo

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$450
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$350
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$950
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$700

Attractiveness

FIRE Score
74/100
Retiree Score
55/100
Nomad Score
40/100


City Details
W

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Battle of Lifestyles

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MetricSan FranciscoMedellín
1BR Apartment (Center)$3200$450
1BR Apartment (Outside)$2400$350
3BR Apartment (Center)$5800$950
3BR Apartment (Outside)$4200$700
Safety Index4460
Internet Speed250Mbps56.8Mbps
Walkability ScoreN/AN/A
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FAQ

San Francisco vs Medellín -- Frequently Asked Questions

Click any question to expand the answer.

The Rewire Abroad city comparison tool lets you compare any two cities side by side across metrics that matter most for expats: cost of living, rent, safety, internet speed, and unique attractiveness scores like FIRE and Nomad scores.

The FIRE Score is a financial runway index based on your specific income relative to the local cost of living and rent in that city.

The Retiree Score is a holistic measure of healthcare quality, safety, and general pace of life.

The Nomad Score measures suitability for remote workers, prioritizing average internet speeds, coworking density, and the size of the local expat community.

The monthly cost includes rent and living expenses adjusted using country-level cost of living averages and lifestyle multipliers.

The Savings Rate is the percentage of your income left over after covering all estimated monthly costs in that city.

The tool compares exactly two cities at a time for a clean head-to-head breakdown.

Rewire Abroad has data on hundreds of cities worldwide. If a city appears in the search dropdown, full data is available.

We aggregate data from private and official international sources, adjusted by country-level data for accuracy.

Resources for Moving to Medellín

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