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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,198 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,963 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,727 in San Fernando, rent included.

Medellin is about 15% cheaper than San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, San Fernando 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.19 TTD 68.9

-41.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$59.3 TTD 401

-43.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.36 TTD 49.77

-1.77%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.55 TTD 24.03

-54.08%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.06 TTD 7.15

2.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.75 TTD 5.06

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.89 TTD 12.77

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.46 TTD 16.63

31.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.07 TTD 14.01

-49.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.34 TTD 15.81

-44.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.63 TTD 17.77

-49.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.77 TTD 25.47

-39.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.96 TTD 53.8

-45.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$10.53 TTD 71.2

-44.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.52 TTD 57.6

1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$5.96 TTD 40.27

-62.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.58 TTD 17.48

-58.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$4.32 TTD 29.23

-64.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.74 TTD 32.05

-70.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.23 TTD 8.30

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.73 TTD 4.92

60.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.46 TTD 9.84

-39.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.21 TTD 8.16

-25.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.69 TTD 38.45

-60.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$17.94 TTD 121

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.54 TTD 10.41

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.82 TTD 19.06

-15.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.42 TTD 2.86

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$43.75 TTD 296

-4.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.86 TTD 5.79

63.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.91 TTD 6.16

108.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$14.70 TTD 99.4

-47.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.03 TTD 6.98

-1.94%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$33.8K TTD 228.2K

-47.92%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$38.4K TTD 259.8K

-31.05%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$44.62 TTD 302

87.54%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$41.80 TTD 283

-77.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$45.79 TTD 310

-47.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$45.66 TTD 309

-44.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$8.95 TTD 60.5

113.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$9.01 TTD 60.9

-54.50%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$324 TTD 2,190

-3.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,257 TTD 15.3K

165.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$44.69 TTD 302

29.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$36.57 TTD 247

-10.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$89.0 TTD 602

11.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$87.7 TTD 593

23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$550 TTD 3,720

-12.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$341 TTD 2,302

11.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$952 TTD 6,436

-12.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$697 TTD 4,714

3.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,003 TTD 13.5K

41.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,489 TTD 10.1K

-17.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,031 TTD 6,971

-47.54%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $550 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 91% 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 $333 – 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 18%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,797 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,198 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 $1,017, than in San Fernando at $1,198. 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.