Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,470 per month in Yens vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,210 per month in Yens vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,951 per month in Yens vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Yens costs about 106% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Yens and Medellin sit above the global median – Yens by 154%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.97 CHF 23.81

$8.02 COP 25.4K

261.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 100

$47.87 COP 152.0K

154.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 13.17

$9.89 COP 31.4K

62.08%

Cappuccino

$6.10 CHF 5.01

$3.13 COP 9,937

94.89%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.14

$1.91 COP 6,058

163.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 CHF 3.38

$1.51 COP 4,794

172.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.18 CHF 7.55

$3.12 COP 9,917

194.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 CHF 6.71

$5.75 COP 18.3K

41.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.84

$1.44 COP 4,587

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CHF 2.52

$2.49 COP 7,894

23.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.62

$1.77 COP 5,631

79.66%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 6.06

$2.96 COP 9,396

148.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.52 CHF 20.15

$10.07 COP 32.0K

143.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.06 CHF 23.06

$10.12 COP 32.1K

177.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.21 CHF 32.22

$14.30 COP 45.4K

174.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.96

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.67

$1.61 COP 5,106

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.17

$2.25 COP 7,129

17.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 CHF 3.72

$2.25 COP 7,150

101.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 CHF 1.40

$2.04 COP 6,486

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.64

$1.54 COP 4,873

29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.69

$1.17 COP 3,715

75.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.08

$1.31 COP 4,148

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 CHF 9.27

$3.90 COP 12.4K

188.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CHF 10.21

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.93

$1.74 COP 5,534

35.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.50

$2.87 COP 9,112

5.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 CHF 3.64

$1.22 COP 3,858

262.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.3 CHF 81.6

$80.5 COP 255.5K

23.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.46

$1.31 COP 4,155

500.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.65 CHF 3.82

$2.19 COP 6,944

112.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.8 CHF 71.3

$8.71 COP 27.7K

896.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 CHF 1.95

$1.37 COP 4,334

72.99%

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

$44.6K CHF 36.7K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

60.31%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.4K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

10.24%

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

$283 CHF 233

$177 COP 562.9K

59.66%

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

$28.77 CHF 23.64

$13.88 COP 44.1K

107.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CHF 42.23

$29.72 COP 94.4K

72.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.7 CHF 76.2

$44.88 COP 142.5K

106.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.86 CHF 37.68

$17.12 COP 54.4K

167.87%

Cinema Ticket

$24.87 CHF 20.43

$6.65 COP 21.1K

273.98%

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

$2,953 CHF 2,427

$813 COP 2.6M

263.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K CHF 26.0K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

244.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 119

$89.5 COP 284.1K

61.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 CHF 50.9

$59.0 COP 187.2K

4.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 116

$138 COP 438.8K

2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 CHF 167

$102 COP 324.2K

98.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 CHF 1,457

$1,062 COP 3.4M

66.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 CHF 1,215

$663 COP 2.1M

123.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CHF 2,404

$1,888 COP 6.0M

54.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 CHF 2,093

$1,027 COP 3.3M

148.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K CHF 13.7K

$4,183 COP 13.3M

297.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

630.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

10.94

-82.18%

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

Last update for Yens: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,773 in Yens versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in Yens versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $566 vs $305 – 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

Yens vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Yens is pricier by about 106%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,205 per month in Yens and $2,521 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 $122 in Yens 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 $3,470 in Yens and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Yens at $3,470. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yens 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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