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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,253 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,001 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,749 in San Fernando, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than San Fernando, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while San Fernando is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$10.29 TTD 69.4

-21.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$59.1 TTD 399

-18.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.15 TTD 54.9

15.58%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.80 TTD 25.64

-22.63%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.99 TTD 6.67

87.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.76 TTD 5.12

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.87 TTD 12.61

71.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.51 TTD 16.92

127.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.03 TTD 13.66

-29.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.26 TTD 15.25

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.81 TTD 18.92

-39.50%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.93 TTD 26.50

-26.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$6.79 TTD 45.75

48.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$9.95 TTD 67.1

0.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$8.72 TTD 58.8

62.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.54 TTD 37.36

-28.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.47 TTD 16.65

-36.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.59 TTD 24.23

-40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.18 TTD 28.20

-44.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.72 TTD 4.86

177.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.77 TTD 5.19

96.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.51 TTD 10.19

-20.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.16 TTD 7.82

10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.76 TTD 38.84

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$17.73 TTD 120

-20.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.56 TTD 10.53

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.04 TTD 20.50

-9.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.45 TTD 3.05

177.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$44.37 TTD 299

75.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.87 TTD 5.86

50.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.90 TTD 6.09

141.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$14.99 TTD 101

-44.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.17 TTD 7.91

16.24%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$36.2K TTD 244.4K

-24.20%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$41.2K TTD 277.8K

-11.32%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$44.23 TTD 298

281.46%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$42.55 TTD 287

-68.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$46.30 TTD 312

-38.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$51.0 TTD 344

-10.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.89 TTD 59.9

-25.20%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$396 TTD 2,670

102.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$11.0K TTD 74.2K

-16.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$55.2 TTD 372

58.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$37.31 TTD 252

59.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$89.7 TTD 605

54.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$87.5 TTD 590

16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$509 TTD 3,429

110.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$391 TTD 2,634

67.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$891 TTD 6,007

116.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$745 TTD 5,025

40.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,997 TTD 13.5K

106.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,513 TTD 10.2K

12.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,028 TTD 6,928

-36.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.75

90.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $509 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 57% higher in San Fernando, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $317 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,879 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 $59.0 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $1,253 in San Fernando. 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, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.