Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lancy Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lancy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,479 in Lancy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $5,298 in Lancy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $7,117 in Lancy.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 70% less than in Lancy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Lancy is 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$30.33 CHF 23.99

-80.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$146 CHF 116

-77.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$18.27 CHF 14.45

-60.59%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.94 CHF 4.69

-71.38%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$5.23 CHF 4.14

-78.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$5.01 CHF 3.97

-85.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$9.99 CHF 7.90

-83.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$7.44 CHF 5.89

-58.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.22 CHF 1.76

-52.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.76 CHF 2.97

-66.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$4.43 CHF 3.51

-68.62%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$7.44 CHF 5.89

-69.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$27.17 CHF 21.49

-84.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$32.94 CHF 26.05

-82.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$43.60 CHF 34.49

-79.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.59 CHF 2.84

-37.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.52 CHF 1.99

-57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.03 CHF 2.40

-49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$6.40 CHF 5.06

-78.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.58 CHF 2.04

-56.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-65.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.33 CHF 1.05

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$11.19 CHF 8.85

-79.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.49 CHF 9.88

-10.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.45 CHF 1.94

-51.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.17 CHF 2.50

-25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.82 CHF 3.02

-79.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$100.0 CHF 79.1

-58.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$7.41 CHF 5.86

-80.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.55 CHF 2.81

-46.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$64.8 CHF 51.2

-87.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-58.04%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$41.2K CHF 32.6K

-56.45%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$45.4K CHF 35.9K

-41.02%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$257 CHF 203

-67.36%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$47.66 CHF 37.70

-79.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$58.6 CHF 46.38

-58.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$88.2 CHF 69.7

-70.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$23.05 CHF 18.23

-82.99%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$2,614 CHF 2,068

-88.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$33.2K CHF 26.3K

-82.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$133 CHF 105

-56.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$80.7 CHF 63.8

-60.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$163 CHF 129

-38.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$211 CHF 167

-49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,680 CHF 1,329

-71.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,464 CHF 1,158

-74.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,883 CHF 2,280

-71.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,483 CHF 1,964

-71.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$13.5K CHF 10.7K

-78.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$10.0K CHF 7,930

-85.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.46

445.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lancy: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,680 in Lancy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $146 in Lancy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $643 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 Lancy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 237% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $5,219 in Lancy 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: $487 in Medellin versus $1,680 in Lancy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $3,479 in Lancy – a 237% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 143% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,479 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 237% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.