Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yens Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yens

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $3,511 in Yens, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,311 in Yens, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $7,111 in Yens, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Yens, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Yens is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$30.64 CHF 24.16

-80.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$145 CHF 114

-77.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$18.91 CHF 14.91

-62.51%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$6.15 CHF 4.85

-72.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$5.34 CHF 4.21

-79.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$4.87 CHF 3.84

-83.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$9.92 CHF 7.82

-83.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$7.43 CHF 5.86

-58.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.17 CHF 1.71

-49.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.84 CHF 3.03

-67.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$4.52 CHF 3.56

-69.47%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$7.10 CHF 5.60

-69.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$26.46 CHF 20.86

-83.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$28.53 CHF 22.50

-80.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$43.82 CHF 34.55

-79.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.64 CHF 2.87

-35.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.11 CHF 1.66

-49.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.81 CHF 2.22

-46.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$6.57 CHF 5.18

-79.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.44 CHF 1.92

-52.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.33 CHF 1.83

-50.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.49 CHF 1.96

-64.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.46 CHF 1.15

-42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$10.93 CHF 8.62

-79.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.76 CHF 10.85

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.02 CHF 1.59

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.12 CHF 2.46

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$3.95 CHF 3.11

-78.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$98.7 CHF 77.8

-58.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$8.10 CHF 6.38

-81.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$3.37 CHF 2.65

-41.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$66.2 CHF 52.2

-88.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-56.62%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$40.0K CHF 31.6K

-54.71%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$41.6K CHF 32.8K

-36.36%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$304 CHF 240

-72.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$51.1 CHF 40.31

-81.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$57.7 CHF 45.49

-58.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$89.6 CHF 70.7

-71.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$23.13 CHF 18.23

-83.01%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$2,554 CHF 2,014

-87.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

-82.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$107 CHF 84.7

-45.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$70.9 CHF 55.9

-54.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$151 CHF 119

-32.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$184 CHF 145

-41.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,711 CHF 1,349

-72.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,451 CHF 1,144

-73.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,872 CHF 2,264

-70.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,427 CHF 1,913

-70.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$15.7K CHF 12.4K

-82.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$10.6K CHF 8,331

-88.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.5

437.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yens: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,711 in Yens. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $145 in Yens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $618 – 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 Yens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Yens is pricier by about 247%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $5,266 in Yens. 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 $145 in Yens. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $3,511 in Yens. 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 $1,013, than in Yens at $3,511. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yens 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.