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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,382 in Lancy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $5,149 in Lancy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $6,916 in Lancy.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 50% less than in Lancy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Lancy 147% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$28.91 CHF 23.76

-72.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$126 CHF 104

-62.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$15.85 CHF 13.02

-37.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$6.39 CHF 5.25

-51.02%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$5.25 CHF 4.31

-63.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$4.34 CHF 3.56

-65.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$9.07 CHF 7.45

-65.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$8.07 CHF 6.63

-28.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.19 CHF 1.80

-34.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$2.97 CHF 2.44

-16.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$3.20 CHF 2.63

-44.69%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$8.26 CHF 6.79

-64.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$25.22 CHF 20.73

-60.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$29.00 CHF 23.83

-65.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$39.85 CHF 32.75

-64.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$3.49 CHF 2.87

18.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.70 CHF 1.40

-5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.69 CHF 2.21

-16.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$4.57 CHF 3.76

-50.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.61 CHF 1.32

26.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.00 CHF 1.64

-23.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$2.13 CHF 1.75

-45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.31 CHF 1.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$11.20 CHF 9.21

-65.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$12.11 CHF 9.95

15.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.11 CHF 2.56

-7.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$4.41 CHF 3.63

-72.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$102 CHF 83.4

-20.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$7.68 CHF 6.31

-82.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$3.92 CHF 3.22

-44.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$66.1 CHF 54.3

-86.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$2.37 CHF 1.94

-42.19%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

-29.75%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$39.7K CHF 32.6K

-9.79%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$275 CHF 226

-35.59%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$29.05 CHF 23.88

-52.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$55.4 CHF 45.53

-46.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$93.6 CHF 76.9

-52.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$46.97 CHF 38.60

-63.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$24.41 CHF 20.06

-72.76%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$2,476 CHF 2,035

-67.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$32.0K CHF 26.3K

-71.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$137 CHF 112

-34.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$62.4 CHF 51.3

-5.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$158 CHF 130

-12.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$190 CHF 156

-46.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,715 CHF 1,409

-38.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,488 CHF 1,222

-55.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,899 CHF 2,382

-34.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,546 CHF 2,092

-59.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$16.3K CHF 13.4K

-74.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

-86.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.98

452.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lancy: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,715 in Lancy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $126 in Lancy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $574 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $5,073 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,715 in Lancy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $3,382 in Lancy – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 26% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,382 in Lancy, a $2,500 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 101% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.