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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $3,437 in Lachen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $5,312 in Lachen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $7,188 in Lachen.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 51% less than in Lachen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Lachen 151% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$30.47 CHF 24.36

-74.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$122 CHF 97.9

-63.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$16.59 CHF 13.27

-44.00%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$6.35 CHF 5.08

-54.33%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$5.62 CHF 4.49

-67.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$5.32 CHF 4.25

-70.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$8.87 CHF 7.09

-63.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$9.45 CHF 7.56

-37.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.18 CHF 1.75

-36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$3.54 CHF 2.83

-30.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$4.28 CHF 3.42

-64.72%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$7.68 CHF 6.14

-63.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$26.84 CHF 21.46

-66.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$26.84 CHF 21.46

-60.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$40.47 CHF 32.36

-63.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.69 CHF 2.95

7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.09 CHF 1.67

-33.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.73 CHF 2.18

-15.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$4.68 CHF 3.74

-56.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.05 CHF 1.64

1.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$2.32 CHF 1.86

-29.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.38 CHF 1.91

-54.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.38 CHF 1.11

-9.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$11.13 CHF 8.90

-63.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.46 CHF 10.76

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.29 CHF 1.83

-30.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.81 CHF 2.25

6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$4.56 CHF 3.65

-74.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$106 CHF 84.4

-24.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$7.91 CHF 6.33

-79.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$4.83 CHF 3.86

-55.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$89.6 CHF 71.6

-90.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$2.17 CHF 1.73

-37.79%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$43.1K CHF 34.5K

-34.31%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$39.9K CHF 31.9K

-10.46%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$210 CHF 168

-27.74%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$33.24 CHF 26.58

-60.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$66.2 CHF 52.9

-51.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$93.5 CHF 74.7

-50.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$45.87 CHF 36.67

-62.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$22.54 CHF 18.02

-71.47%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$2,942 CHF 2,353

-71.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$44.5K CHF 35.6K

-80.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$144 CHF 115

-38.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$89.2 CHF 71.4

-38.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$148 CHF 118

-7.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$173 CHF 138

-36.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$1,779 CHF 1,423

-46.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$1,493 CHF 1,194

-55.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$2,995 CHF 2,395

-32.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$2,571 CHF 2,056

-55.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$16.5K CHF 13.2K

-77.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$12.4K CHF 9,884

-87.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$9,762 CHF 7,806

-93.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

1.72

506.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Lachen: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $1,779 in Lachen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 1461% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $122 in Lachen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $587 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 104% 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, salaries run 1461% lower in Lachen. 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: $952 in Medellin versus $1,779 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 32% less than in Lachen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $835 in Medellin versus $2,942 in Lachen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $3,437 in Lachen, a $2,500 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 $1,687 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 104% less than in Lachen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.