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 $1,217 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,005 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,794 in San Fernando, rent included.

Medellin is about 18% cheaper than San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, San Fernando 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$10.40 TTD 70.1

-43.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$59.1 TTD 399

-44.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.54 TTD 50.9

-1.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$3.68 TTD 24.82

-55.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.09 TTD 7.34

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.77 TTD 5.18

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.82 TTD 12.30

-5.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.48 TTD 16.73

28.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$2.03 TTD 13.72

-45.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$2.34 TTD 15.80

-46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$2.63 TTD 17.71

-47.53%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$3.83 TTD 25.83

-43.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.09 TTD 54.6

-44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$10.45 TTD 70.5

-44.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.70 TTD 58.7

3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$5.92 TTD 39.97

-60.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$2.48 TTD 16.75

-57.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$4.36 TTD 29.41

-65.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$4.67 TTD 31.51

-70.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.24 TTD 8.35

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.76 TTD 5.13

53.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.49 TTD 10.06

-39.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.16 TTD 7.85

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$5.69 TTD 38.36

-60.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$17.35 TTD 117

-30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.52 TTD 10.24

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.71 TTD 18.27

-8.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.46 TTD 3.09

84.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$44.31 TTD 299

-6.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.85 TTD 5.76

67.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.86 TTD 5.77

126.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$14.56 TTD 98.2

-45.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.99 TTD 6.68

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$34.4K TTD 232.1K

-48.85%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$38.2K TTD 257.8K

-29.89%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$44.86 TTD 303

85.04%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$42.88 TTD 289

-77.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$45.00 TTD 304

-47.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$46.91 TTD 316

-46.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$8.62 TTD 58.2

121.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$8.80 TTD 59.4

-55.11%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$325 TTD 2,195

-2.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$2,224 TTD 15.0K

168.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$43.93 TTD 296

36.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$36.61 TTD 247

-13.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$89.7 TTD 605

13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$90.4 TTD 610

18.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$533 TTD 3,596

-10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$349 TTD 2,355

7.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$976 TTD 6,583

-12.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$695 TTD 4,688

3.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,976 TTD 13.3K

65.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,484 TTD 10.0K

-2.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,030 TTD 6,947

-39.36%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $533 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 65% 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: $193 vs $330 – 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 21%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,826 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,217 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 $1,003, than in San Fernando at $1,217. 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.