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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $695 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,042 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,390 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and San Fernando, La Union are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Fernando, La Union 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$3.47 ₱212

70.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$17.45 ₱1,068

87.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$3.39 ₱207

112.39%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.35 ₱144

-27.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.82 ₱50.4

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.40 ₱24.27

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.30 ₱79.3

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$2.15 ₱132

44.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$3.07 ₱188

-65.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.28 ₱78.1

-2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$0.99 ₱60.7

40.40%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$2.00 ₱123

13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$7.93 ₱485

-45.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$4.13 ₱253

41.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$7.81 ₱478

13.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.88 ₱176

-22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.59 ₱97.5

-32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$2.63 ₱161

-41.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.55 ₱94.9

-11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$2.28 ₱139

-50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$2.51 ₱154

-55.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.10 ₱67.3

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.70 ₱43.02

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$2.88 ₱176

-19.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$8.50 ₱520

30.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.16 ₱70.9

2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.07 ₱127

14.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.26 ₱15.87

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.77 ₱46.83

87.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.24 ₱14.72

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$2.18 ₱133

267.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.15 ₱70.6

-18.26%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$26.9K ₱1.6M

-33.40%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

28.62%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$112 ₱6,824

-24.73%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$32.59 ₱1,994

-70.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$27.68 ₱1,694

-12.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$13.38 ₱818

93.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$4.31 ₱264

341.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$5.92 ₱362

-33.78%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$149 ₱9,115

105.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$5,735 ₱350.9K

3.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$46.51 ₱2,846

24.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$26.62 ₱1,629

19.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$35.11 ₱2,148

184.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$39.38 ₱2,409

172.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$131 ₱8,042

270.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$122 ₱7,460

201.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$246 ₱15.0K

236.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$213 ₱13.0K

235.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,323 ₱142.1K

25.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $131 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in San Fernando, La Union. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $217 in San Fernando, La Union – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,043 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in San Fernando, La Union. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, La Union, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.