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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,459 per month in Yens vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,362 per month in Yens vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,264 per month in Yens vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Yens costs about 236% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Yens sits 159% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.31 CHF 24.51

$6.16 COP 20.1K

392.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$32.60 COP 106.1K

351.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.91 CHF 15.29

$7.34 COP 23.9K

157.63%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.77

$1.72 COP 5,600

243.02%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.41

$1.05 COP 3,420

420.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 CHF 3.80

$0.77 COP 2,515

511.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.65 CHF 7.80

$1.69 COP 5,488

471.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 CHF 6.05

$3.17 COP 10.3K

136.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.05 COP 3,423

111.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$1.30 COP 4,236

191.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.60

$1.40 COP 4,544

217.86%

Eggs

$7.42 CHF 6.00

$2.16 COP 7,047

243.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.28 CHF 21.24

$4.39 COP 14.3K

498.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.80 CHF 23.29

$5.88 COP 19.1K

389.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.50 CHF 35.98

$8.64 COP 28.1K

415.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.93

$2.28 COP 7,426

58.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.68

$1.11 COP 3,604

87.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.30

$1.53 COP 4,983

85.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 CHF 5.34

$1.35 COP 4,410

389.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$1.13 COP 3,674

121.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$1.13 COP 3,692

108.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$0.85 COP 2,753

195.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CHF 1.14

$0.91 COP 2,975

54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 CHF 8.95

$2.34 COP 7,630

373.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 CHF 11.11

$12.37 COP 40.3K

11.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.68

$1.20 COP 3,909

72.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CHF 2.50

$2.49 COP 8,104

24.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 CHF 3.20

$0.84 COP 2,728

371.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 CHF 80.0

$40.57 COP 132.1K

143.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 CHF 6.25

$1.42 COP 4,623

444.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.76

$1.92 COP 6,235

77.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.2 CHF 54.4

$7.66 COP 24.9K

777.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$0.99 COP 3,223

123.23%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

123.55%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

52.71%

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

$301 CHF 244

$80.8 COP 263.1K

272.73%

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

$51.1 CHF 41.31

$9.95 COP 32.4K

413.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 46.47

$24.18 COP 78.7K

137.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 71.9

$25.08 COP 81.7K

254.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$22.64 CHF 18.30

$3.98 COP 13.0K

468.84%

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

$2,534 CHF 2,049

$305 COP 993.5K

730.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K CHF 27.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

451.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.3

$58.1 COP 189.2K

83.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 55.5

$32.20 COP 104.8K

113.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$101 COP 327.9K

48.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 148

$108 COP 350.8K

69.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 CHF 1,370

$477 COP 1.6M

255.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CHF 1,170

$376 COP 1.2M

284.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 CHF 2,265

$845 COP 2.7M

231.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CHF 1,970

$730 COP 2.4M

233.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.1K CHF 13.8K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

431.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K CHF 8,726

$1,372 COP 4.5M

686.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

13.43

-81.38%

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

Last update for Yens: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,694 in Yens versus $477 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 $147 in Yens versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $622 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

Yens vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Yens is pricier by about 236%, 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 $5,189 per month in Yens and $1,546 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 $147 in Yens 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 $3,459 in Yens and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Yens at $3,459. 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.