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

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

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

Living in Medellin costs roughly 71% less than in Lancy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$30.89 CHF 24.52

-80.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$146 CHF 116

-77.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$18.51 CHF 14.69

-60.94%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.87 CHF 4.66

-72.23%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$5.44 CHF 4.32

-79.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$4.97 CHF 3.95

-85.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$9.92 CHF 7.88

-82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$7.35 CHF 5.84

-56.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-51.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.82 CHF 3.03

-66.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$4.30 CHF 3.41

-69.30%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$7.43 CHF 5.90

-69.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$26.62 CHF 21.14

-83.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$33.78 CHF 26.82

-82.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$43.68 CHF 34.68

-80.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.60 CHF 2.86

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.43 CHF 1.93

-55.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.97 CHF 2.36

-48.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$6.42 CHF 5.10

-77.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.67 CHF 2.12

-56.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.45 CHF 1.94

-52.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.58 CHF 2.05

-65.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.36 CHF 1.08

-33.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$11.22 CHF 8.91

-79.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$12.29 CHF 9.76

-10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.46 CHF 1.95

-53.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.11 CHF 2.47

-23.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$3.89 CHF 3.09

-78.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$97.0 CHF 77.0

-56.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$7.49 CHF 5.95

-81.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.64 CHF 2.89

-47.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$63.6 CHF 50.5

-87.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.16 CHF 1.72

-53.24%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$39.8K CHF 31.6K

-55.86%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$45.9K CHF 36.4K

-42.23%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$259 CHF 206

-67.68%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$47.88 CHF 38.01

-80.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$59.7 CHF 47.39

-59.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$87.8 CHF 69.7

-71.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$23.14 CHF 18.37

-82.28%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$2,599 CHF 2,063

-88.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$33.5K CHF 26.6K

-82.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$133 CHF 106

-56.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$80.5 CHF 63.9

-59.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$162 CHF 129

-38.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$211 CHF 167

-48.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,716 CHF 1,362

-71.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,442 CHF 1,145

-73.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$2,877 CHF 2,284

-70.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$2,489 CHF 1,976

-70.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-80.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$12.9K CHF 10.3K

-90.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lancy: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

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

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $3,557 in Lancy – 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.