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 $1,217 per month in San Fernando vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in San Fernando vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,794 per month in San Fernando vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

San Fernando costs about 21% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Fernando and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando 9% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.40 TTD 70.1

$5.91 COP 18.9K

75.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 399

$32.96 COP 105.2K

79.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 50.9

$7.43 COP 23.7K

1.48%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.82

$1.65 COP 5,276

123.03%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.34

$1.10 COP 3,514

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$0.78 COP 2,491

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 TTD 12.30

$1.72 COP 5,484

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 TTD 16.73

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-22.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.72

$1.10 COP 3,521

84.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 TTD 15.80

$1.26 COP 4,015

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.71

$1.38 COP 4,407

90.58%

Eggs

$3.83 TTD 25.83

$2.18 COP 6,950

75.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 TTD 54.6

$4.49 COP 14.3K

80.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 TTD 70.5

$5.79 COP 18.5K

80.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 TTD 58.7

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-3.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 TTD 39.97

$2.32 COP 7,405

155.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 TTD 16.75

$1.06 COP 3,397

133.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 TTD 29.41

$1.52 COP 4,838

186.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 TTD 31.51

$1.36 COP 4,327

243.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 TTD 8.35

$1.13 COP 3,599

9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.13

$1.17 COP 3,738

-35.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 TTD 10.06

$0.90 COP 2,876

65.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.85

$0.90 COP 2,861

28.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 TTD 38.36

$2.23 COP 7,128

155.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.35 TTD 117

$12.12 COP 38.7K

43.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 TTD 10.24

$1.19 COP 3,793

27.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 TTD 18.27

$2.48 COP 7,920

9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 TTD 3.09

$0.85 COP 2,723

-45.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.31 TTD 299

$41.62 COP 132.8K

6.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 TTD 5.76

$1.42 COP 4,518

-40.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$1.95 COP 6,223

-55.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.56 TTD 98.2

$7.89 COP 25.2K

84.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 TTD 6.68

$0.99 COP 3,160

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

$34.4K TTD 232.1K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

95.49%

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

$38.2K TTD 257.8K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

42.63%

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

$44.86 TTD 303

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-45.96%

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

$42.88 TTD 289

$9.70 COP 30.9K

342.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.00 TTD 304

$23.52 COP 75.0K

91.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 TTD 316

$25.26 COP 80.6K

85.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 TTD 58.2

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-54.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 TTD 59.4

$3.95 COP 12.6K

122.78%

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

$325 TTD 2,195

$316 COP 1.0M

3.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,224 TTD 15.0K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-62.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.93 TTD 296

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-26.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 TTD 247

$31.82 COP 101.5K

15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 605

$102 COP 324.4K

-11.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 TTD 610

$107 COP 342.8K

-15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 TTD 3,596

$475 COP 1.5M

12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 TTD 2,355

$374 COP 1.2M

-6.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 TTD 6,583

$849 COP 2.7M

14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 TTD 4,688

$719 COP 2.3M

-3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,976 TTD 13.3K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-39.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 TTD 10.0K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

3.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,030 TTD 6,947

$624 COP 2.0M

64.91%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in San Fernando versus $475 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 65% 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: $330 vs $193 – 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 21%, 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 $1,826 per month in San Fernando and $1,504 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 $1,217 in San Fernando and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in San Fernando at $1,217. 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.