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 $1,253 per month in San Fernando vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,001 per month in San Fernando vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in San Fernando vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

San Fernando is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

San Fernando sits 9% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.29 TTD 69.4

$8.04 COP 24.8K

27.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 399

$48.29 COP 148.6K

22.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.15 TTD 54.9

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-13.48%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.64

$2.94 COP 9,040

29.25%

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

$0.99 TTD 6.67

$1.86 COP 5,735

-46.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

$1.46 COP 4,479

-47.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 TTD 12.61

$3.21 COP 9,882

-41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 TTD 16.92

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-56.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.66

$1.44 COP 4,428

40.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.25

$2.40 COP 7,389

-5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 TTD 18.92

$1.70 COP 5,228

65.29%

Eggs

$3.93 TTD 26.50

$2.89 COP 8,896

35.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 TTD 45.75

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-32.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 TTD 67.1

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-0.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 TTD 58.8

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-38.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 TTD 37.36

$3.98 COP 12.3K

39.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.65

$1.58 COP 4,878

56.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 TTD 24.23

$2.15 COP 6,624

66.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 TTD 28.20

$2.30 COP 7,078

81.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.86

$2.00 COP 6,169

-64.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TTD 5.19

$1.51 COP 4,646

-49.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.19

$1.20 COP 3,701

25.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.82

$1.28 COP 3,946

-9.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 TTD 38.84

$3.84 COP 11.8K

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 TTD 120

$14.01 COP 43.1K

26.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.53

$1.71 COP 5,256

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.50

$2.74 COP 8,440

10.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 TTD 3.05

$1.25 COP 3,834

-64.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.37 TTD 299

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-43.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 TTD 5.86

$1.31 COP 4,016

-33.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.09

$2.17 COP 6,680

-58.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.99 TTD 101

$8.29 COP 25.5K

80.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.91

$1.36 COP 4,172

-13.97%

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

$36.2K TTD 244.4K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

31.93%

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

$41.2K TTD 277.8K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

12.77%

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

$44.23 TTD 298

$169 COP 519.2K

-73.78%

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

$42.55 TTD 287

$13.57 COP 41.8K

213.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.30 TTD 312

$28.32 COP 87.2K

63.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 TTD 344

$45.71 COP 140.7K

11.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 TTD 59.9

$6.65 COP 20.5K

33.68%

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

$396 TTD 2,670

$803 COP 2.5M

-50.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K TTD 74.2K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

19.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 TTD 372

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-36.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.31 TTD 252

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-37.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 605

$139 COP 427.5K

-35.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 TTD 590

$102 COP 314.0K

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 TTD 3,429

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 TTD 2,634

$653 COP 2.0M

-40.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 TTD 6,007

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-53.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 TTD 5,025

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-28.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 TTD 13.5K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-51.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 TTD 10.2K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-10.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,028 TTD 6,928

$655 COP 2.0M

56.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

10.94

-47.44%

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

Last update for San Fernando: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in San Fernando versus $1,071 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 57% higher in San Fernando, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Fernando versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $300 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,879 per month in San Fernando and $2,462 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 $59.0 in San Fernando and $48.00 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 $1,253 in San Fernando and $1,641 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 San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.