Cost of Living Comparison Between Lachen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lachen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,437 in Lachen versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,312 in Lachen versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,188 in Lachen versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Lachen is roughly 104% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lachen 151% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.47 CHF 24.36

$7.89 COP 24.2K

286.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 97.9

$44.53 COP 136.5K

174.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.59 CHF 13.27

$9.29 COP 28.5K

78.58%

Cappuccino

$6.35 CHF 5.08

$2.90 COP 8,874

118.97%

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

$5.62 CHF 4.49

$1.81 COP 5,541

210.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 CHF 4.25

$1.55 COP 4,741

243.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.87 CHF 7.09

$3.25 COP 9,962

172.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.45 CHF 7.56

$5.88 COP 18.0K

60.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.75

$1.38 COP 4,230

57.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 CHF 2.83

$2.45 COP 7,517

44.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.42

$1.51 COP 4,617

183.44%

Eggs

$7.68 CHF 6.14

$2.78 COP 8,516

176.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.84 CHF 21.46

$9.05 COP 27.7K

196.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.84 CHF 21.46

$10.65 COP 32.6K

152.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.47 CHF 32.36

$14.63 COP 44.8K

176.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 2.95

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.67

$1.38 COP 4,219

51.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.18

$2.30 COP 7,056

18.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 CHF 3.74

$2.02 COP 6,185

131.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.64

$2.09 COP 6,390

-1.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.86

$1.63 COP 4,996

42.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CHF 1.91

$1.08 COP 3,313

120.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.11

$1.25 COP 3,843

10.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.13 CHF 8.90

$4.03 COP 12.4K

176.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.46 CHF 10.76

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.83

$1.60 COP 4,904

43.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 CHF 2.25

$3.00 COP 9,189

-6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.56 CHF 3.65

$1.18 COP 3,611

286.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 84.4

$79.9 COP 244.9K

31.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 CHF 6.33

$1.61 COP 4,920

391.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.83 CHF 3.86

$2.13 COP 6,533

126.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.6 CHF 71.6

$8.52 COP 26.1K

951.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.73

$1.35 COP 4,142

60.74%

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

$43.1K CHF 34.5K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

52.24%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.9K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

11.68%

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

$210 CHF 168

$151 COP 463.8K

38.39%

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

$33.24 CHF 26.58

$13.10 COP 40.1K

153.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 CHF 52.9

$32.30 COP 99.0K

104.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.5 CHF 74.7

$46.33 COP 141.9K

101.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.87 CHF 36.67

$17.26 COP 52.9K

165.76%

Cinema Ticket

$22.54 CHF 18.02

$6.43 COP 19.7K

250.54%

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

$2,942 CHF 2,353

$835 COP 2.6M

252.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.5K CHF 35.6K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

400.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 115

$89.3 COP 273.7K

61.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.2 CHF 71.4

$55.3 COP 169.5K

61.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 118

$137 COP 418.5K

8.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 CHF 138

$109 COP 335.1K

57.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 CHF 1,423

$952 COP 2.9M

86.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,194

$668 COP 2.0M

123.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,995 CHF 2,395

$2,020 COP 6.2M

48.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 CHF 2,056

$1,148 COP 3.5M

123.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.2K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

346.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 9,884

$1,586 COP 4.9M

679.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,762 CHF 7,806

$625 COP 1.9M

1460.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

10.43

-83.51%

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

Last update for Lachen: August 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,779 in Lachen and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 1461% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $122 in Lachen vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $587 vs $297 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Lachen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 104% lower than in Lachen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1461% higher in Lachen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,779 in Lachen versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 32% less than in Lachen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,942 in Lachen versus $835 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $3,437 in Lachen, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lachen. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,687 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lachen and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Lachen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.