Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando, La Union and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in San Fernando, La Union: $721 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in San Fernando, La Union
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San Fernando, La Union Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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San Fernando, La Union

🇵🇭 Philippines

$721

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Fernando, La Union and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Fernando, La Union and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $721 per month in San Fernando, La Union vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

San Fernando, La Union $721
Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in San Fernando, La Union vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

San Fernando, La Union $1,102
Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $1,484 per month in San Fernando, La Union vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

San Fernando, La Union $1,484
Medellin $3,249

San Fernando, La Union is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

San Fernando, La Union sits 47% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 ₱252

$8.34 COP 27.0K

-52.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.71 ₱1,061

$46.53 COP 150.9K

-64.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.69 ₱171

$9.47 COP 30.7K

-71.59%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₱136

$3.13 COP 10.2K

-31.63%

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

$0.69 ₱43.61

$1.77 COP 5,728

-61.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.20

$1.42 COP 4,620

-76.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ₱75.2

$3.15 COP 10.2K

-62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱131

$5.70 COP 18.5K

-63.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱105

$1.53 COP 4,971

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱69.5

$2.29 COP 7,431

-52.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ₱56.7

$1.94 COP 6,308

-54.12%

Eggs

$1.90 ₱121

$3.07 COP 9,945

-38.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₱350

$9.99 COP 32.4K

-44.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 ₱260

$10.45 COP 33.9K

-60.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱452

$13.96 COP 45.3K

-49.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ₱151

$4.05 COP 13.1K

-40.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱99.4

$1.53 COP 4,957

2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱148

$2.10 COP 6,825

10.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱74.5

$2.29 COP 7,439

-48.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 ₱131

$2.11 COP 6,841

-2.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 ₱146

$1.71 COP 5,543

34.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱68.7

$1.17 COP 3,795

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.60

$1.58 COP 5,125

-66.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ₱179

$3.91 COP 12.7K

-27.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₱479

$14.04 COP 45.6K

-46.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱62.8

$1.76 COP 5,714

-43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱122

$2.71 COP 8,796

-28.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.90

$1.18 COP 3,826

-81.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.52 ₱795

$76.3 COP 247.4K

-83.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₱51.0

$1.81 COP 5,860

-55.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.70

$2.13 COP 6,906

-90.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 ₱122

$8.13 COP 26.4K

-76.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ₱65.6

$1.28 COP 4,136

-19.53%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$34.4K COP 111.7M

-39.61%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$34.1K COP 110.7M

-44.16%

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

$119 ₱7,577

$178 COP 576.4K

-32.85%

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

$15.64 ₱993

$13.89 COP 45.0K

12.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.84 ₱1,513

$30.74 COP 99.7K

-22.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.64 ₱2,009

$41.94 COP 136.0K

-24.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.16 ₱328

$16.80 COP 54.5K

-69.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ₱332

$7.47 COP 24.2K

-30.12%

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

$130 ₱8,228

$790 COP 2.6M

-83.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 ₱501.2K

$12.3K COP 39.9M

-35.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.12 ₱2,102

$86.3 COP 280.0K

-61.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.07 ₱1,211

$59.3 COP 192.2K

-67.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ₱4,396

$138 COP 448.7K

-49.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 ₱3,515

$98.8 COP 320.5K

-43.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₱15.9K

$1,341 COP 4.3M

-81.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ₱10.6K

$667 COP 2.2M

-74.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ₱31.1K

$1,976 COP 6.4M

-75.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₱22.2K

$1,033 COP 3.3M

-66.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,657 ₱168.7K

$4,098 COP 13.3M

-35.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 ₱71.4K

$1,940 COP 6.3M

-42.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.92

10.94

-36.75%

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

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

San Fernando, La Union

$179 24.8%

Medellin

$307 18.2% 71.9% $129

Accommodation & Living

San Fernando, La Union

$167 23.2%

Medellin

$667 39.4% 299% $500

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Fernando, La Union

$159 22%

Medellin

$222 13.1% 40% $64

Eating Out

San Fernando, La Union

$80 11.1%

Medellin

$173 10.2% 117% $93

Clothing & Footwear

San Fernando, La Union

$80 11%

Medellin

$172 10.2% 117% $93

Sport & Entertainment

San Fernando, La Union

$42 5.8%

Medellin

$57 3.4% 35.2% $15

Getting Around

San Fernando, La Union

$15 2.1%

Medellin

$93 5.5% 515% $78

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in San Fernando, La Union versus $1,341 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 in San Fernando, La Union versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $307 – making San Fernando, La Union the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 San Fernando, La Union

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

18:43 6:43 PM

05:43 5:43 AM

13 h behind San Fernando, La Union

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

83,003

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.08 USD

10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.49 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 71.17 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,636 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Fernando, La Union Medellin 16,920 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

San Fernando, La Union
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

San Fernando, La Union vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 135%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,082 per month in San Fernando, La Union and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, La Union, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $251 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17 in San Fernando, La Union and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $721 in San Fernando, La Union and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes San Fernando, La Union about 57% cheaper.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, La Union, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Medellin at $1,692. In San Fernando, La Union it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

For expats, San Fernando, La Union is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 57% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.