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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,197 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,968 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,740 in San Fernando, rent included.

Medellin is about 14% cheaper than San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Fernando 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.30 TTD 70.0

-42.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$59.2 TTD 402

-44.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.54 TTD 51.2

-4.51%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.76 TTD 25.52

-54.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.09 TTD 7.37

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.80 TTD 5.45

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.90 TTD 12.89

-12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.47 TTD 16.76

25.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.00 TTD 13.56

-47.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.32 TTD 15.74

-46.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.57 TTD 17.44

-45.91%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.77 TTD 25.58

-40.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.07 TTD 54.8

-46.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$10.36 TTD 70.3

-43.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.47 TTD 57.5

4.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.81 TTD 39.45

-61.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.55 TTD 17.30

-57.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$4.29 TTD 29.10

-64.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.63 TTD 31.46

-70.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.23 TTD 8.33

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.77 TTD 5.23

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.46 TTD 9.90

-41.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.21 TTD 8.22

-24.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.52 TTD 37.49

-57.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$17.74 TTD 120

-37.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.50 TTD 10.20

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.73 TTD 18.54

-13.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.42 TTD 2.86

88.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$44.18 TTD 300

-6.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.92 TTD 6.23

56.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.92 TTD 6.24

107.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$14.79 TTD 100

-45.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.03 TTD 7.00

-8.74%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

-47.63%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$38.8K TTD 263.7K

-31.02%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$45.18 TTD 307

85.83%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$42.01 TTD 285

-77.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$46.20 TTD 314

-47.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$45.57 TTD 309

-43.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$8.82 TTD 59.9

115.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$9.12 TTD 61.9

-57.02%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$326 TTD 2,212

-5.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,226 TTD 15.1K

165.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.00 TTD 306

28.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$36.74 TTD 249

-13.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$88.3 TTD 600

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$89.8 TTD 610

19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$532 TTD 3,610

-8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$348 TTD 2,365

5.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$977 TTD 6,636

-15.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$699 TTD 4,749

2.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,016 TTD 13.7K

45.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,497 TTD 10.2K

-6.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,009 TTD 6,850

-45.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $532 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 85% higher in San Fernando, 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 $59.0 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $329 – 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 16%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,795 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 $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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,197 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in San Fernando at $1,197. 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.