Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,999 per month in Aarau vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,746 per month in Aarau vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,493 per month in Aarau vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Aarau costs about 191% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aarau sits 124% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.41 CHF 23.78

$6.16 COP 20.1K

377.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 86.9

$32.60 COP 106.1K

229.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.71 CHF 15.13

$7.34 COP 23.9K

154.90%

Cappuccino

$6.23 CHF 5.04

$1.72 COP 5,600

262.21%

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

$3.36 CHF 2.72

$1.05 COP 3,420

220.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 CHF 4.01

$0.77 COP 2,515

544.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 CHF 6.50

$1.69 COP 5,488

375.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CHF 5.92

$3.17 COP 10.3K

131.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

$1.05 COP 3,423

99.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CHF 2.60

$1.30 COP 4,236

146.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$1.40 COP 4,544

79.29%

Eggs

$6.79 CHF 5.49

$2.16 COP 7,047

214.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.96 CHF 23.41

$4.39 COP 14.3K

559.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.04 CHF 29.14

$5.88 COP 19.1K

512.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.72 CHF 36.16

$8.64 COP 28.1K

417.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.26

$2.28 COP 7,426

22.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.69

$1.11 COP 3,604

89.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 CHF 2.25

$1.53 COP 4,983

81.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.89 CHF 4.76

$1.35 COP 4,410

336.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$1.13 COP 3,674

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

$1.13 COP 3,692

84.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$0.85 COP 2,753

196.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CHF 1.17

$0.91 COP 2,975

59.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.39 CHF 8.40

$2.34 COP 7,630

344.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 CHF 8.42

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-15.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$1.20 COP 3,909

93.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.49 COP 8,104

-12.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.39 CHF 3.55

$0.84 COP 2,728

422.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$148 CHF 120

$40.57 COP 132.1K

265.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 CHF 6.93

$1.42 COP 4,623

503.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.52 CHF 4.46

$1.92 COP 6,235

187.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 71.5

$7.66 COP 24.9K

1055.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.80

$0.99 COP 3,223

125.25%

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

$41.2K CHF 33.3K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

128.49%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

61.04%

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

$250 CHF 202

$80.8 COP 263.1K

209.39%

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

$43.25 CHF 34.97

$9.95 COP 32.4K

334.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CHF 47.04

$24.18 COP 78.7K

140.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 CHF 54.5

$25.08 COP 81.7K

168.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.92 CHF 33.89

$19.15 COP 62.3K

118.90%

Cinema Ticket

$23.86 CHF 19.29

$3.98 COP 13.0K

499.50%

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

$3,189 CHF 2,578

$305 COP 993.5K

944.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K CHF 20.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

315.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 CHF 74.5

$58.1 COP 189.2K

58.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 CHF 43.85

$32.20 COP 104.8K

68.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CHF 88.1

$101 COP 327.9K

8.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 139

$108 COP 350.8K

59.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CHF 1,049

$477 COP 1.6M

172.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 CHF 855

$376 COP 1.2M

181.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 CHF 2,013

$845 COP 2.7M

194.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 CHF 1,677

$730 COP 2.4M

184.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,286

$3,215 COP 10.5M

218.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.1K CHF 9,744

$1,372 COP 4.5M

778.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,069 CHF 5,716

$617 COP 2.0M

1046.13%

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 Aarau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Aarau 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.

Salaries run about 1046% higher in Aarau, 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 $108 in Aarau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $634 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

Aarau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarau costs about 191% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,498 per month in Aarau 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.

Public transport costs about 266% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,189 per month in Aarau and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Aarau at $2,999. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $2,999 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.