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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $700 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,045 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,391 in San Fernando, rent included.

Medellin costs about 140% more than San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while San Fernando is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$3.88 ₱244

106.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$16.54 ₱1,039

189.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$2.88 ₱181

243.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.85 ₱116

69.19%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.39 ₱24.32

389.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.31 ₱19.29

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.02 ₱64.3

205.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.30 ₱82.0

342.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.66 ₱104

-13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.16 ₱73.0

114.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.91 ₱56.9

94.51%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.98 ₱125

49.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$5.22 ₱328

92.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.45 ₱217

193.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.78 ₱489

83.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.29 ₱144

80.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.29 ₱81.3

24.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.34 ₱147

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.07 ₱67.4

110.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.68 ₱106

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.60 ₱101

-3.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.67 ₱41.88

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.53 ₱33.30

147.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.88 ₱181

35.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.82 ₱554

58.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.90 ₱56.4

93.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.29 ₱81.3

122.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.27 ₱16.68

351.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$11.28 ₱709

613.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.66 ₱41.65

98.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.23 ₱14.41

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.94 ₱58.9

826.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.98 ₱61.8

39.80%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

32.36%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

85.77%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$143 ₱8,972

24.16%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.75 ₱1,115

-21.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$23.63 ₱1,485

25.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$31.58 ₱1,984

42.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$4.85 ₱305

252.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.91 ₱308

35.44%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$78.2 ₱4,910

940.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,130 ₱71.0K

712.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$19.26 ₱1,210

364.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$15.83 ₱994

272.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$31.40 ₱1,973

340.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$47.12 ₱2,960

116.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$264 ₱16.6K

302.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$172 ₱10.8K

285.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$495 ₱31.1K

281.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$353 ₱22.2K

190.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,815 ₱176.8K

48.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,052 ₱66.1K

59.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$334 ₱21.0K

103.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.33%

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: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $264 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 103% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $172 – making San Fernando 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 140%, 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 $1,050 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $700 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 $700, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.