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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,470 in Yens, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,210 in Yens, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,951 in Yens, rent included.

Medellin is about 52% cheaper than Yens, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Yens sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Yens by 154%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$28.97 CHF 23.81

-72.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$122 CHF 100

-60.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$16.03 CHF 13.17

-38.30%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$6.10 CHF 5.01

-48.69%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$5.04 CHF 4.14

-62.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$4.11 CHF 3.38

-63.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$9.18 CHF 7.55

-66.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$8.16 CHF 6.71

-29.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.24 CHF 1.84

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$3.07 CHF 2.52

-18.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$3.18 CHF 2.62

-44.34%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$7.37 CHF 6.06

-59.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$24.52 CHF 20.15

-58.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$28.06 CHF 23.06

-63.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$39.21 CHF 32.22

-63.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$3.60 CHF 2.96

15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.03 CHF 1.67

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.64 CHF 2.17

-14.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$4.53 CHF 3.72

-50.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.70 CHF 1.40

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.99 CHF 1.64

-22.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$2.05 CHF 1.69

-42.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.31 CHF 1.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$11.27 CHF 9.27

-65.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$12.42 CHF 10.21

12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.35 CHF 1.93

-25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.04 CHF 2.50

-5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$4.42 CHF 3.64

-72.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$99.3 CHF 81.6

-18.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$7.86 CHF 6.46

-83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$4.65 CHF 3.82

-52.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$86.8 CHF 71.3

-89.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$2.37 CHF 1.95

-42.19%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$44.6K CHF 36.7K

-37.62%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$39.4K CHF 32.4K

-9.29%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$283 CHF 233

-37.37%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$28.77 CHF 23.64

-51.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$51.4 CHF 42.23

-42.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$92.7 CHF 76.2

-51.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$45.86 CHF 37.68

-62.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$24.87 CHF 20.43

-73.26%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$2,953 CHF 2,427

-72.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$31.6K CHF 26.0K

-70.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$145 CHF 119

-38.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$61.9 CHF 50.9

-4.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$141 CHF 116

-2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$203 CHF 167

-49.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,773 CHF 1,457

-40.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,479 CHF 1,215

-55.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,925 CHF 2,404

-35.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,547 CHF 2,093

-59.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$16.6K CHF 13.7K

-74.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

-86.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.95

461.03%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Yens: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,773 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $122 in Yens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $566 – 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 106%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $5,205 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $122 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $3,470 in Yens. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Yens at $3,470. 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.