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 $1,198 per month in San Fernando vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,963 per month in San Fernando vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,727 per month in San Fernando vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

San Fernando costs about 18% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Fernando and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando 11% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 TTD 68.9

$5.95 COP 20.8K

71.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 TTD 401

$33.33 COP 116.3K

77.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 TTD 49.77

$7.23 COP 25.2K

1.80%

Cappuccino

$3.55 TTD 24.03

$1.63 COP 5,687

117.79%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.15

$1.09 COP 3,821

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.06

$0.73 COP 2,548

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.77

$1.74 COP 6,065

8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 TTD 16.63

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-23.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 TTD 14.01

$1.05 COP 3,662

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 TTD 15.81

$1.29 COP 4,515

81.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.77

$1.32 COP 4,617

99.24%

Eggs

$3.77 TTD 25.47

$2.27 COP 7,927

66.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 TTD 53.8

$4.35 COP 15.2K

82.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 TTD 71.2

$5.88 COP 20.5K

79.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 TTD 57.6

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-1.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 TTD 40.27

$2.25 COP 7,844

164.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.48

$1.07 COP 3,733

141.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 TTD 29.23

$1.52 COP 5,322

184.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 TTD 32.05

$1.42 COP 4,964

233.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 TTD 8.30

$1.17 COP 4,084

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TTD 4.92

$1.17 COP 4,077

-37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.84

$0.89 COP 3,096

64.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.16

$0.90 COP 3,146

34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 TTD 38.45

$2.25 COP 7,837

152.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.94 TTD 121

$11.04 COP 38.5K

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 TTD 10.41

$1.14 COP 3,977

35.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 19.06

$2.38 COP 8,301

18.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TTD 2.86

$0.84 COP 2,916

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.75 TTD 296

$41.95 COP 146.4K

4.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 TTD 5.79

$1.41 COP 4,912

-39.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 TTD 6.16

$1.90 COP 6,634

-52.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.70 TTD 99.4

$7.75 COP 27.0K

89.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 TTD 6.98

$1.01 COP 3,509

1.98%

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

$33.8K TTD 228.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

92.02%

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

$38.4K TTD 259.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

45.04%

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

$44.62 TTD 302

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-46.68%

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

$41.80 TTD 283

$9.45 COP 33.0K

342.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.79 TTD 310

$24.11 COP 84.1K

89.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.66 TTD 309

$25.31 COP 88.3K

80.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 TTD 60.5

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-53.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 TTD 60.9

$4.10 COP 14.3K

119.76%

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

$324 TTD 2,190

$312 COP 1.1M

3.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,257 TTD 15.3K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-62.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.69 TTD 302

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-23.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.57 TTD 247

$32.56 COP 113.6K

12.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 TTD 602

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 TTD 593

$109 COP 378.8K

-19.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 TTD 3,720

$482 COP 1.7M

14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 TTD 2,302

$379 COP 1.3M

-10.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 TTD 6,436

$837 COP 2.9M

13.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 TTD 4,714

$723 COP 2.5M

-3.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,003 TTD 13.5K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-29.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,489 TTD 10.1K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

21.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,031 TTD 6,971

$541 COP 1.9M

90.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.43

-59.94%

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

Last update for San Fernando: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $550 in San Fernando versus $482 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 91% higher in San Fernando, 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 $59.0 in San Fernando versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $190 – 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

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

Yes – San Fernando is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,797 per month in San Fernando and $1,525 in Medellin. 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 $59.0 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 $1,198 in San Fernando and $1,017 in Medellin. 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 $1,017, than in San Fernando at $1,198. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Fernando 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.

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