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: $3,435 in Lancy versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,389 in Lancy versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,343 in Lancy versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Lancy is roughly 243% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lancy is 158% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.40 CHF 25.34

$5.91 COP 18.6K

431.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 121

$32.96 COP 103.8K

354.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.79 CHF 15.16

$7.43 COP 23.4K

152.89%

Cappuccino

$6.04 CHF 4.87

$1.65 COP 5,207

266.06%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.25

$1.10 COP 3,468

379.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CHF 3.89

$0.78 COP 2,458

519.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CHF 8.08

$1.72 COP 5,412

482.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.70 CHF 6.21

$3.18 COP 10.0K

142.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$1.10 COP 3,474

105.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$1.26 COP 3,962

200.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CHF 3.49

$1.38 COP 4,349

213.04%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 6.08

$2.18 COP 6,858

245.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.07 CHF 21.85

$4.49 COP 14.1K

502.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.79 CHF 27.27

$5.79 COP 18.2K

483.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.35 CHF 34.98

$8.97 COP 28.2K

383.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.85

$2.32 COP 7,308

52.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.95

$1.06 COP 3,352

128.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.40

$1.52 COP 4,774

95.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 CHF 5.05

$1.36 COP 4,270

359.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.17

$1.13 COP 3,552

138.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.90

$1.17 COP 3,689

101.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$0.90 COP 2,838

184.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.06

$0.90 COP 2,823

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 9.07

$2.23 COP 7,034

403.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 CHF 9.76

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$1.19 COP 3,743

95.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CHF 2.53

$2.48 COP 7,815

26.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 CHF 3.24

$0.85 COP 2,687

371.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.6 CHF 80.4

$41.62 COP 131.0K

139.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 CHF 6.07

$1.42 COP 4,459

429.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.67 CHF 2.96

$1.95 COP 6,141

88.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 CHF 52.6

$7.89 COP 24.8K

726.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.72

$0.99 COP 3,118

115.15%

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

$40.5K CHF 32.7K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

130.17%

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

$45.1K CHF 36.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

68.43%

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

$260 CHF 210

$83.0 COP 261.4K

213.09%

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

$47.84 CHF 38.61

$9.70 COP 30.5K

393.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 48.01

$23.52 COP 74.1K

152.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 72.1

$25.26 COP 79.5K

253.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.12 CHF 39.64

$19.10 COP 60.1K

157.17%

Cinema Ticket

$22.47 CHF 18.13

$3.95 COP 12.4K

468.86%

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

$2,568 CHF 2,072

$316 COP 994.2K

713.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K CHF 26.9K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

458.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$132 CHF 107

$60.0 COP 188.9K

119.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.0 CHF 64.5

$31.82 COP 100.2K

151.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 130

$102 COP 320.1K

58.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 173

$107 COP 338.3K

99.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 CHF 1,365

$475 COP 1.5M

256.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,191

$374 COP 1.2M

294.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 CHF 2,280

$849 COP 2.7M

232.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 CHF 1,987

$719 COP 2.3M

242.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.5K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

410.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

872.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,692 in Lancy and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $150 in Lancy vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $644 vs $193 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 243% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,153 in Lancy and $1,504 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: $1,692 in Lancy versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,435 per month in Lancy versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 243% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 139% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $3,435 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 243% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.