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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $777 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,188 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,600 in San Fernando, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than San Fernando, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, San Fernando 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.49 ₱214

69.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$13.46 ₱824

144.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.72 ₱166

173.16%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.05 ₱64.3

57.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.42 ₱25.89

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.36 ₱22.12

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.31 ₱80.3

31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.45 ₱88.7

119.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.90 ₱116

-42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.20 ₱73.6

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.90 ₱55.1

53.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.28 ₱140

-4.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.11 ₱558

-50.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.87 ₱237

49.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.98 ₱489

12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.76 ₱169

-15.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.78 ₱109

-40.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.35 ₱144

-35.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.16 ₱70.8

17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.90 ₱116

-40.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.09 ₱128

-44.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.67 ₱41.28

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.64 ₱39.30

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.30 ₱202

-32.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.76 ₱537

38.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.08 ₱66.0

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.50 ₱91.8

65.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.26 ₱15.91

226.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$21.66 ₱1,326

92.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.72 ₱44.22

97.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 ₱13.41

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.04 ₱63.6

658.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.16 ₱71.0

-14.66%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$28.0K ₱1.7M

-37.11%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.6K ₱1.4M

13.62%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$106 ₱6,478

-21.56%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.60 ₱1,077

-44.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$26.09 ₱1,597

-9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$30.71 ₱1,880

-17.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.49 ₱275

325.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.52 ₱277

-12.61%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$61.2 ₱3,748

415.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,951 ₱119.4K

206.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$34.76 ₱2,128

72.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$16.18 ₱991

96.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$53.5 ₱3,274

90.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$46.40 ₱2,840

131.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$357 ₱21.9K

32.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$243 ₱14.9K

54.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$596 ₱36.5K

42.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$478 ₱29.3K

50.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,206 ₱135.0K

48.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,047 ₱64.1K

37.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$345 ₱21.1K

81.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.5

144.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $357 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.

Salaries run about 81% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $13.00 in San Fernando. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $200 in San Fernando – 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,165 in San Fernando. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, 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 $13.00 in San Fernando. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $777 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $777, than in Medellin at $1,003. In San Fernando it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Fernando – 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 San Fernando. 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.