Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Fernando Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Fernando

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,107 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,783 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,458 in San Fernando, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than San Fernando, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, San Fernando 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$10.55 MX$184

-43.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$39.12 MX$681

-15.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$8.05 MX$140

-11.55%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$3.33 MX$57.9

-48.65%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$1.27 MX$22.17

-17.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.96 MX$16.64

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$2.33 MX$40.57

-26.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.95 MX$68.7

-19.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.42 MX$24.71

-25.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$2.63 MX$45.69

-50.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.57 MX$27.32

-15.29%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$2.38 MX$41.42

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$7.87 MX$137

-43.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$7.68 MX$134

-22.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$10.39 MX$181

-16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$2.67 MX$46.50

-12.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.41 MX$24.52

-21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.79 MX$31.08

-17.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.58 MX$27.42

-12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$1.86 MX$32.32

-37.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$1.99 MX$34.65

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$1.26 MX$21.94

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.98 MX$17.08

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$4.25 MX$73.9

-45.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$12.50 MX$218

-4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.53 MX$26.67

-24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$2.75 MX$47.80

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.65 MX$11.33

29.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$2.56 MX$44.55

-44.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$1.55 MX$26.90

23.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$8.16 MX$142

-4.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.31 MX$22.85

-28.24%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$20.9K MX$364.5K

-14.93%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$22.1K MX$383.9K

22.75%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$57.4 MX$999

44.95%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$21.93 MX$382

-55.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$27.98 MX$487

-13.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$35.81 MX$623

-29.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$16.11 MX$280

19.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$4.68 MX$81.4

-13.03%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$202 MX$3,522

51.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$3,604 MX$62.7K

65.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$52.5 MX$914

14.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$39.05 MX$680

-16.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$89.3 MX$1,555

13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$78.0 MX$1,356

38.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$517 MX$8,996

-7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$405 MX$7,039

-6.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$946 MX$16.5K

-13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$762 MX$13.3K

-7.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$2,064 MX$35.9K

54.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,094 MX$19.0K

32.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $517 in San Fernando. 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 $39.00 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $251 – making Medellin 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Fernando is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,661 in San Fernando. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $39.00 in San Fernando. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in San Fernando, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in San Fernando at $1,107. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Fernando it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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