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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,188 in Lachen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $5,036 in Lachen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $6,885 in Lachen.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 68% less than in Lachen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Lachen is 138% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$31.38 CHF 24.82

-81.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$146 CHF 115

-77.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$18.67 CHF 14.77

-61.44%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$6.17 CHF 4.88

-72.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$5.76 CHF 4.55

-80.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$5.22 CHF 4.13

-86.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$7.63 CHF 6.04

-78.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$6.97 CHF 5.51

-55.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.22 CHF 1.76

-52.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.70 CHF 2.14

-53.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-42.08%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$8.09 CHF 6.40

-72.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$27.50 CHF 21.75

-84.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$14.52 CHF 11.48

-59.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$41.51 CHF 32.84

-78.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.12 CHF 2.47

-28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.84 CHF 1.45

-41.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.48 CHF 1.97

-38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.79 CHF 3.79

-71.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-54.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.28 CHF 1.81

-50.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.58 CHF 2.04

-67.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.15 CHF 0.91

-20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$10.77 CHF 8.52

-78.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.98 CHF 9.48

-7.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.37 CHF 1.88

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.93 CHF 3.11

-79.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$97.2 CHF 76.8

-57.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$6.84 CHF 5.41

-78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$4.17 CHF 3.30

-54.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$78.7 CHF 62.2

-89.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.11 CHF 1.67

-55.45%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$39.7K CHF 31.4K

-54.82%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$41.2K CHF 32.6K

-35.00%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$125 CHF 98.6

-32.62%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$59.8 CHF 47.31

-83.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$52.2 CHF 41.28

-53.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$86.8 CHF 68.6

-70.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$22.21 CHF 17.57

-82.35%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$2,828 CHF 2,237

-89.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$35.0K CHF 27.7K

-83.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$123 CHF 97.4

-52.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$65.5 CHF 51.8

-51.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$158 CHF 125

-36.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$230 CHF 182

-53.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,667 CHF 1,318

-70.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,448 CHF 1,146

-74.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,852 CHF 2,256

-71.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,452 CHF 1,940

-70.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$13.8K CHF 10.9K

-78.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$10.9K CHF 8,634

-87.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$10.0K CHF 7,942

-94.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.5

437.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lachen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,667 in Lachen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 1741% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $146 in Lachen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $507 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

Medellin vs Lachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 208% 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.

On paper, Lachen earns 1741% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $1,667 in Lachen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 136% less than in Lachen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $2,828 in Lachen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,188 in Lachen, a $1,500 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 $1,034 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Lachen 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 208% less than in Lachen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.