🙂A single person spends $695 per month in San Fernando, La Union vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,042 per month in San Fernando, La Union vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,390 per month in San Fernando, La Union vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂San Fernando, La Union is about 33% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both San Fernando, La Union and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando, La Union48% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.47₱212
$5.92COP 21.5K
-41.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.45₱1,068
$32.75COP 119.1K
-46.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.39₱207
$7.20COP 26.2K
-52.92%
Cappuccino
$2.35₱144
$1.70COP 6,186
38.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82₱50.4
$1.10COP 3,996
-25.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40₱24.27
$0.72COP 2,625
-44.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.30₱79.3
$1.67COP 6,067
-22.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15₱132
$3.10COP 11.3K
-30.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$3.07₱188
$1.06COP 3,837
189.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.28₱78.1
$1.25COP 4,531
2.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.99₱60.7
$1.39COP 5,060
-28.78%
Eggs
$2.00₱123
$2.26COP 8,229
-11.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.93₱485
$4.33COP 15.8K
83.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.13₱253
$5.84COP 21.2K
-29.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.81₱478
$8.83COP 32.1K
-11.55%
Apples(1kg)
$2.88₱176
$2.24COP 8,159
28.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59₱97.5
$1.08COP 3,911
47.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.63₱161
$1.53COP 5,563
71.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.55₱94.9
$1.37COP 4,987
13.14%
Potato(1kg)
$2.28₱139
$1.13COP 4,109
101.77%
Onion(1kg)
$2.51₱154
$1.12COP 4,067
124.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10₱67.3
$0.85COP 3,080
29.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70₱43.02
$0.91COP 3,305
-23.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.88₱176
$2.33COP 8,477
23.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.50₱520
$11.13COP 40.5K
-23.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16₱70.9
$1.19COP 4,342
-2.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07₱127
$2.37COP 8,617
-12.66%
🚌 Getting Around
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.26₱15.87
$0.79COP 2,859
-67.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱46.83
$1.44COP 5,223
-46.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24₱14.72
$1.91COP 6,952
-87.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.18₱133
$8.02COP 29.2K
-72.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15₱70.6
$0.94COP 3,410
22.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K₱1.6M
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
50.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.8K₱1.3M
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
-22.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$112₱6,824
$84.0COP 305.4K
32.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.59₱1,994
$9.60COP 34.9K
239.48%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.68₱1,694
$24.16COP 87.9K
14.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$13.38₱818
$25.88COP 94.1K
-48.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.31₱264
$19.04COP 69.3K
-77.36%
Cinema Ticket
$5.92₱362
$3.92COP 14.2K
51.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$149₱9,115
$306COP 1.1M
-51.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,735₱350.9K
$5,919COP 21.5M
-3.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.51₱2,846
$57.9COP 210.6K
-19.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.62₱1,629
$31.82COP 115.7K
-16.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$35.11₱2,148
$99.9COP 363.3K
-64.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.38₱2,409
$107COP 389.7K
-63.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$131₱8,042
$487COP 1.8M
-73.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$122₱7,460
$368COP 1.3M
-66.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$246₱15.0K
$826COP 3.0M
-70.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$213₱13.0K
$716COP 2.6M
-70.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,323₱142.1K
$2,925COP 10.6M
-20.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Fernando, La Union
Medellin
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$546COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
13.43
-50.34%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para San Fernando, La Union: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $131 in San Fernando, La Union versus $487 in Medellin. 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 $17.00 in San Fernando, La Union versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in San Fernando, La Union vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
San Fernando, La Union vs Medellin: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Medellin cheaper than San Fernando, La Union?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,043 per month in San Fernando, La Union and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, La Union, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in San Fernando, La Union or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in San Fernando, La Union and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in San Fernando, La Union and Medellin?
Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for San Fernando, La Union or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, La Union, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Medellin at $1,034. In San Fernando, La Union it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is San Fernando, La Union or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward San Fernando, La Union – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, San Fernando, La Union or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with San Fernando, La Union. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
San Fernando, La Union vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado