Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Fernando, La Union Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Fernando, La Union

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $726 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,095 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,464 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Medellin costs about 131% more than San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while San Fernando, La Union is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$3.76 ₱236

113.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$14.97 ₱941

219.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$3.09 ₱194

220.06%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.50 ₱157

25.20%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.55 ₱34.56

247.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.30 ₱18.83

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.03 ₱64.9

202.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.77 ₱111

224.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.67 ₱105

-13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.29 ₱81.2

93.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.95 ₱60.0

86.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.15 ₱135

37.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$5.47 ₱343

84.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.69 ₱294

115.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.02 ₱441

103.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.64 ₱166

56.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.49 ₱93.3

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.45 ₱154

-8.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.26 ₱79.0

78.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$2.04 ₱128

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.23 ₱140

-30.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.89 ₱56.1

31.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.52 ₱32.74

151.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.44 ₱154

59.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.31 ₱459

91.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.82 ₱51.3

112.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.14 ₱134

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.27 ₱16.83

351.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$10.01 ₱629

704.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.68 ₱42.56

92.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.24 ₱14.77

812.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$2.16 ₱136

303.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.01 ₱63.3

35.64%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$20.2K ₱1.3M

38.02%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

84.77%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$138 ₱8,647

28.81%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$13.86 ₱871

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$22.57 ₱1,418

31.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$31.83 ₱2,000

41.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$5.34 ₱335

220.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.57 ₱287

45.51%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$129 ₱8,087

531.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$8,412 ₱528.5K

9.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$30.11 ₱1,892

197.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$20.03 ₱1,258

194.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$71.8 ₱4,510

92.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$56.4 ₱3,541

81.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$267 ₱16.7K

298.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$172 ₱10.8K

285.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$488 ₱30.7K

286.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$350 ₱22.0K

193.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,732 ₱171.6K

53.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,146 ₱72.0K

46.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $267 in San Fernando, La Union. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in San Fernando, La Union. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $185 – making San Fernando, La Union the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 San Fernando, La Union: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 131%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,089 in San Fernando, La Union. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, La Union, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $15.00 in San Fernando, La Union. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $726 in San Fernando, La Union. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, La Union, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Medellin at $1,681. In San Fernando, La Union it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Fernando, La Union – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Fernando, La Union. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.