Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $773 per month in San Fernando vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,180 per month in San Fernando vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,587 per month in San Fernando vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

San Fernando is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both San Fernando and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando 42% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 ₱216

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-40.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.08 ₱788

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-60.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.59 ₱156

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-65.09%

Cappuccino

$1.03 ₱62.3

$1.65 COP 5,659

-37.58%

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

$0.46 ₱27.43

$1.07 COP 3,663

-57.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱21.94

$0.76 COP 2,607

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ₱82.4

$1.72 COP 5,908

-20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱84.6

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-56.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱115

$1.05 COP 3,597

81.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₱74.9

$1.31 COP 4,479

-5.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱58.4

$1.34 COP 4,591

-27.61%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱138

$2.19 COP 7,521

4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 ₱569

$4.41 COP 15.1K

114.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ₱235

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-31.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 ₱478

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-6.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ₱163

$2.34 COP 8,023

15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱108

$1.11 COP 3,804

62.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱141

$1.52 COP 5,210

53.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱69.6

$1.37 COP 4,680

-15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱110

$1.15 COP 3,950

59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 ₱131

$1.18 COP 4,043

83.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱40.54

$0.84 COP 2,885

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱35.49

$0.86 COP 2,931

-31.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₱194

$2.26 COP 7,753

42.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 ₱535

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱62.5

$1.20 COP 4,109

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱89.6

$2.48 COP 8,484

-39.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱16.91

$0.79 COP 2,721

-64.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.85 ₱1,256

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-48.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₱41.60

$1.47 COP 5,023

-53.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.48

$1.92 COP 6,568

-87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₱63.2

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-86.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱67.2

$1.01 COP 3,464

10.89%

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

$28.2K ₱1.7M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

59.67%

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

$23.9K ₱1.4M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-9.76%

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

$105 ₱6,346

$81.1 COP 277.9K

29.93%

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

$17.45 ₱1,051

$9.43 COP 32.3K

85.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 ₱1,578

$23.86 COP 81.8K

9.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.38 ₱1,890

$25.99 COP 89.1K

20.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 ₱266

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-76.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ₱264

$4.09 COP 14.0K

7.09%

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

$61.1 ₱3,681

$315 COP 1.1M

-80.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,952 ₱117.6K

$6,022 COP 20.6M

-67.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.53 ₱2,080

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-42.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.66 ₱943

$31.97 COP 109.6K

-51.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 ₱3,261

$101 COP 346.9K

-46.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 ₱2,807

$105 COP 360.3K

-55.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱21.5K

$485 COP 1.7M

-26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₱14.7K

$365 COP 1.3M

-33.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₱35.9K

$827 COP 2.8M

-27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₱29.8K

$730 COP 2.5M

-32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 ₱132.7K

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-26.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,080 ₱65.1K

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-17.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$353 ₱21.2K

$551 COP 1.9M

-35.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

13.43

-59.05%

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

Last update for San Fernando: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $357 in San Fernando versus $485 in Medellin. 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 56% higher in Medellin, 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 $13.00 in San Fernando versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in San Fernando vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,160 per month in San Fernando and $1,542 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, 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 $13.00 in San Fernando and $33.00 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 $773 in San Fernando and $1,028 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $773, than in Medellin at $1,028. In San Fernando it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Fernando – 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 San Fernando. 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.