Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,086 per month in Lyon vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,232 per month in Lyon vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,379 per month in Lyon vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Lyon costs about 24% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lyon and Medellin sit above the global median – Lyon by 52%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.03 €14.84

$8.02 COP 25.0K

112.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 €61.2

$47.87 COP 149.4K

46.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.05

$9.89 COP 30.8K

39.84%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.80

$3.13 COP 9,767

39.30%

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

$2.86 €2.50

$1.91 COP 5,954

49.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.51 COP 4,712

19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 €7.25

$3.12 COP 9,747

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 €5.59

$5.75 COP 17.9K

11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.44 COP 4,509

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.81

$2.49 COP 7,759

-16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.36

$1.77 COP 5,535

53.11%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.05

$2.96 COP 9,235

56.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.52 €20.50

$10.07 COP 31.4K

133.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €12.08

$10.12 COP 31.6K

36.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.45 €23.92

$14.30 COP 44.6K

91.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-40.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.10

$1.61 COP 5,019

49.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.93

$2.25 COP 7,007

49.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.98

$2.25 COP 7,028

52.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$2.04 COP 6,375

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 €2.62

$1.54 COP 4,790

94.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.17 COP 3,651

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.06

$1.31 COP 4,077

-7.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 €12.34

$3.90 COP 12.2K

263.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 €7.86

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.44

$1.74 COP 5,439

60.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 €3.14

$2.87 COP 8,956

25.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 €2.16

$1.22 COP 3,792

103.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 €73.8

$80.5 COP 251.1K

5.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 €7.21

$1.31 COP 4,084

531.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.19 COP 6,825

5.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.74 €37.26

$8.71 COP 27.2K

390.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$1.37 COP 4,260

60.58%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

29.23%

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

$36.6K €31.9K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

2.21%

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

$277 €242

$177 COP 553.2K

56.40%

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

$15.06 €13.13

$13.88 COP 43.3K

8.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 €28.02

$29.72 COP 92.8K

8.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.00 €38.35

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-1.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.61 €24.94

$17.12 COP 53.4K

67.11%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.90

$6.65 COP 20.7K

122.56%

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

$640 €558

$813 COP 2.5M

-21.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

27.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €104

$89.5 COP 279.3K

33.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.79 €42.53

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-17.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €110

$138 COP 431.2K

-8.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €114

$102 COP 318.7K

28.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 €785

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-15.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 €594

$663 COP 2.1M

2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 €1,624

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-1.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,112

$1,027 COP 3.2M

24.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,541 €5,702

$4,183 COP 13.1M

56.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,166 €3,631

$1,675 COP 5.2M

148.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,170 €2,763

$678 COP 2.1M

367.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

10.94

-66.36%

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

Last update for Lyon: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Lyon versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 368% higher in Lyon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Lyon versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $305 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lyon vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 24% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,129 per month in Lyon and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,086 in Lyon and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Lyon at $2,086. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,681 versus $2,086 in Lyon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lyon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.