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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $3,435 in Lancy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $5,389 in Lancy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $7,343 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 25% below, Lancy is 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$31.40 CHF 25.34

-81.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$150 CHF 121

-77.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$18.79 CHF 15.16

-60.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$6.04 CHF 4.87

-72.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$5.27 CHF 4.25

-79.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$4.83 CHF 3.89

-83.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$10.02 CHF 8.08

-82.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$7.70 CHF 6.21

-58.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-51.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.79 CHF 3.06

-66.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$4.32 CHF 3.49

-68.06%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$7.53 CHF 6.08

-71.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$27.07 CHF 21.85

-83.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$33.79 CHF 27.27

-82.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$43.35 CHF 34.98

-79.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.53 CHF 2.85

-34.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.42 CHF 1.95

-56.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.97 CHF 2.40

-48.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$6.25 CHF 5.05

-78.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.69 CHF 2.17

-57.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.36 CHF 1.90

-50.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-64.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.32 CHF 1.06

-31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$11.23 CHF 9.07

-80.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.10 CHF 9.76

0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-48.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.14 CHF 2.53

-21.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$4.01 CHF 3.24

-78.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$99.6 CHF 80.4

-58.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$7.52 CHF 6.07

-81.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.67 CHF 2.96

-46.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$65.2 CHF 52.6

-87.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.13 CHF 1.72

-53.52%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$40.5K CHF 32.7K

-56.55%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$45.1K CHF 36.4K

-40.63%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$260 CHF 210

-68.06%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$47.84 CHF 38.61

-79.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$59.5 CHF 48.01

-60.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$89.4 CHF 72.1

-71.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$49.12 CHF 39.64

-61.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$22.47 CHF 18.13

-82.42%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$2,568 CHF 2,072

-87.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$33.4K CHF 26.9K

-82.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$132 CHF 107

-54.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$80.0 CHF 64.5

-60.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$162 CHF 130

-37.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$214 CHF 173

-49.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,692 CHF 1,365

-71.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,476 CHF 1,191

-74.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,826 CHF 2,280

-69.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$2,462 CHF 1,987

-70.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$16.7K CHF 13.5K

-80.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

-89.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lancy: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,692 in Lancy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $150 in Lancy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $644 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 243% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $5,153 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: $475 in Medellin versus $1,692 in Lancy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $3,435 in Lancy – a 243% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 139% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $3,435 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 243% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.