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 $1,197 per month in San Fernando vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,968 per month in San Fernando vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,740 per month in San Fernando vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

San Fernando costs about 16% 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 TTD 70.0

$5.92 COP 21.5K

73.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 TTD 402

$32.75 COP 119.1K

80.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 51.2

$7.20 COP 26.2K

4.72%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.52

$1.70 COP 6,186

121.18%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.37

$1.10 COP 3,996

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 TTD 5.45

$0.72 COP 2,625

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.89

$1.67 COP 6,067

13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 TTD 16.76

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 TTD 13.56

$1.06 COP 3,837

88.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 TTD 15.74

$1.25 COP 4,531

85.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.44

$1.39 COP 5,060

84.89%

Eggs

$3.77 TTD 25.58

$2.26 COP 8,229

66.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 TTD 54.8

$4.33 COP 15.8K

86.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 TTD 70.3

$5.84 COP 21.2K

77.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 TTD 57.5

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-4.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 TTD 39.45

$2.24 COP 8,159

159.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 TTD 17.30

$1.08 COP 3,911

136.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 TTD 29.10

$1.53 COP 5,563

180.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 TTD 31.46

$1.37 COP 4,987

237.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 TTD 8.33

$1.13 COP 4,109

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TTD 5.23

$1.12 COP 4,067

-31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.90

$0.85 COP 3,080

71.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.22

$0.91 COP 3,305

32.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 TTD 37.49

$2.33 COP 8,477

136.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 TTD 120

$11.13 COP 40.5K

59.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.20

$1.19 COP 4,342

26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.54

$2.37 COP 8,617

15.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TTD 2.86

$0.79 COP 2,859

-46.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 TTD 300

$41.13 COP 149.6K

7.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.23

$1.44 COP 5,223

-36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 TTD 6.24

$1.91 COP 6,952

-51.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.79 TTD 100

$8.02 COP 29.2K

84.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 TTD 7.00

$0.94 COP 3,410

9.57%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

90.96%

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

$38.8K TTD 263.7K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

44.96%

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

$45.18 TTD 307

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-46.19%

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

$42.01 TTD 285

$9.60 COP 34.9K

337.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.20 TTD 314

$24.16 COP 87.9K

91.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.57 TTD 309

$25.88 COP 94.1K

76.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 TTD 59.9

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-53.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 TTD 61.9

$3.92 COP 14.2K

132.65%

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

$326 TTD 2,212

$306 COP 1.1M

6.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,226 TTD 15.1K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-62.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.00 TTD 306

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-22.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.74 TTD 249

$31.82 COP 115.7K

15.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 TTD 600

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-11.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 TTD 610

$107 COP 389.7K

-16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 TTD 3,610

$487 COP 1.8M

9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 TTD 2,365

$368 COP 1.3M

-5.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 TTD 6,636

$826 COP 3.0M

18.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 TTD 4,749

$716 COP 2.6M

-2.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,016 TTD 13.7K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-31.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,497 TTD 10.2K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

6.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 TTD 6,850

$546 COP 2.0M

84.93%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 in San Fernando 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.

Salaries run about 85% 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: $329 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 16%, 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 $1,795 per month in San Fernando and $1,550 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 $1,197 in San Fernando and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in San Fernando at $1,197. 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.