Cost of Living Comparison Between Lancy and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lancy and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,479 in Lancy versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,298 in Lancy versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,117 in Lancy versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Lancy is roughly 237% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lancy is 160% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.33 CHF 23.99

$5.92 COP 21.4K

412.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$32.75 COP 118.2K

346.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.27 CHF 14.45

$7.20 COP 26.0K

153.75%

Cappuccino

$5.94 CHF 4.69

$1.70 COP 6,140

249.41%

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

$5.23 CHF 4.14

$1.10 COP 3,966

375.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 CHF 3.97

$0.72 COP 2,605

595.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.99 CHF 7.90

$1.67 COP 6,022

498.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 CHF 5.89

$3.10 COP 11.2K

140.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$1.06 COP 3,809

109.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 CHF 2.97

$1.25 COP 4,497

200.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CHF 3.51

$1.39 COP 5,022

218.71%

Eggs

$7.44 CHF 5.89

$2.26 COP 8,168

229.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.17 CHF 21.49

$4.33 COP 15.6K

527.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.94 CHF 26.05

$5.84 COP 21.1K

464.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.60 CHF 34.49

$8.83 COP 31.9K

393.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.84

$2.24 COP 8,099

60.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$1.08 COP 3,882

133.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 CHF 2.40

$1.53 COP 5,522

98.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 CHF 5.06

$1.37 COP 4,950

367.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$1.13 COP 4,078

128.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$1.12 COP 4,036

114.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$0.85 COP 3,057

192.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.05

$0.91 COP 3,281

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 8.85

$2.33 COP 8,414

380.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 CHF 9.88

$11.13 COP 40.2K

12.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$1.19 COP 4,309

105.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CHF 2.50

$2.37 COP 8,553

33.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.02

$0.79 COP 2,838

383.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 CHF 79.1

$41.13 COP 148.5K

143.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 CHF 5.86

$1.44 COP 5,184

414.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.55 CHF 2.81

$1.91 COP 6,901

85.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.8 CHF 51.2

$8.02 COP 28.9K

707.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$0.94 COP 3,385

138.30%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.6K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

129.64%

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

$45.4K CHF 35.9K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

69.55%

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

$257 CHF 203

$84.0 COP 303.1K

206.38%

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

$47.66 CHF 37.70

$9.60 COP 34.7K

396.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 CHF 46.38

$24.16 COP 87.2K

142.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 CHF 69.7

$25.88 COP 93.4K

240.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$23.05 CHF 18.23

$3.92 COP 14.1K

488.01%

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

$2,614 CHF 2,068

$306 COP 1.1M

753.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.2K CHF 26.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

461.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 105

$57.9 COP 209.1K

129.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.7 CHF 63.8

$31.82 COP 114.9K

153.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 CHF 129

$99.9 COP 360.6K

62.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$211 CHF 167

$107 COP 386.8K

97.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 CHF 1,329

$487 COP 1.8M

245.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 CHF 1,158

$368 COP 1.3M

297.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,883 CHF 2,280

$826 COP 3.0M

249.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 CHF 1,964

$716 COP 2.6M

246.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K CHF 10.7K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

362.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.0K CHF 7,930

$1,407 COP 5.1M

612.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

13.43

-81.68%

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

Last update for Lancy: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,680 in Lancy and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $146 in Lancy vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $643 vs $190 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

Lancy vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 237% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,219 in Lancy and $1,550 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,680 in Lancy versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,479 per month in Lancy versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 237% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 143% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,479 in Lancy, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lancy. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lancy, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 237% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.