Cape Town vs Medellín
Cost of living and FIRE date, side by side, for a typical US remote worker.
Weighing Cape Town against Medellín as your next base? Here's how they stack up on the levers that actually move your retirement date, cost of living and FI acceleration, plus livability, visa and tax-residency risk flags.
| Metric | Cape Town | Medellín | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $1,300/mo | $1,300/mo | — |
| Years saved | 9.8 yrs | 9.8 yrs | — |
| Burn reduction | 35% | 35% | — |
| Tax risk | Low | Low | — |
| Visa | Easy | Easy | — |
| Safety | 3 | 3 | — |
| Internet | 40 Mbps | 40 Mbps | — |
The verdict
- Both cost about the same per month ($1,300/mo).
- Both move your FI date by a similar amount on this profile.
Run your own numbers
The figures above run one fixed reference profile. Enter your income, spending and savings to see your personal FI Score and the cities that get you to your date fastest.