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: $3,557 in Lancy versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,362 in Lancy versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,167 in Lancy versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Lancy is roughly 250% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lancy is 165% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.89 CHF 24.52

$5.95 COP 20.8K

419.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$33.33 COP 116.3K

336.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.51 CHF 14.69

$7.23 COP 25.2K

156.02%

Cappuccino

$5.87 CHF 4.66

$1.63 COP 5,687

260.12%

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

$5.44 CHF 4.32

$1.09 COP 3,821

399.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 CHF 3.95

$0.73 COP 2,548

580.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.92 CHF 7.88

$1.74 COP 6,065

470.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CHF 5.84

$3.23 COP 11.3K

127.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$1.05 COP 3,662

106.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 CHF 3.03

$1.29 COP 4,515

196.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$1.32 COP 4,617

225.76%

Eggs

$7.43 CHF 5.90

$2.27 COP 7,927

227.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.62 CHF 21.14

$4.35 COP 15.2K

511.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.78 CHF 26.82

$5.88 COP 20.5K

474.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.68 CHF 34.68

$8.61 COP 30.0K

407.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.86

$2.25 COP 7,844

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.93

$1.07 COP 3,733

127.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.36

$1.52 COP 5,322

95.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 CHF 5.10

$1.42 COP 4,964

352.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CHF 2.12

$1.17 COP 4,084

128.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$1.17 COP 4,077

109.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.05

$0.89 COP 3,096

189.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.08

$0.90 COP 3,146

51.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 8.91

$2.25 COP 7,837

398.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 CHF 9.76

$11.04 COP 38.5K

11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CHF 1.95

$1.14 COP 3,977

115.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CHF 2.47

$2.38 COP 8,301

30.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 CHF 3.09

$0.84 COP 2,916

363.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 77.0

$41.95 COP 146.4K

131.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 CHF 5.95

$1.41 COP 4,912

431.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.89

$1.90 COP 6,634

91.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.6 CHF 50.5

$7.75 COP 27.0K

720.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.72

$1.01 COP 3,509

113.86%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

126.56%

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

$45.9K CHF 36.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

73.11%

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

$259 CHF 206

$83.7 COP 292.1K

209.45%

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

$47.88 CHF 38.01

$9.45 COP 33.0K

406.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 47.39

$24.11 COP 84.1K

147.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.8 CHF 69.7

$25.31 COP 88.3K

246.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$23.14 CHF 18.37

$4.10 COP 14.3K

464.39%

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

$2,599 CHF 2,063

$312 COP 1.1M

733.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.5K CHF 26.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

458.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 106

$58.0 COP 202.6K

129.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.5 CHF 63.9

$32.56 COP 113.6K

147.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 129

$99.6 COP 347.7K

62.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$211 CHF 167

$109 COP 378.8K

94.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 CHF 1,362

$482 COP 1.7M

255.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CHF 1,145

$379 COP 1.3M

279.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,877 CHF 2,284

$837 COP 2.9M

243.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 CHF 1,976

$723 COP 2.5M

244.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

407.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.9K CHF 10.3K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

958.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,716 in Lancy and $482 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 $646 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 250% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,336 in Lancy and $1,525 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: $1,716 in Lancy versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,557 per month in Lancy versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 250% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 131% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $3,557 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 250% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.