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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,962 per month in Aarau vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,722 per month in Aarau vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,482 per month in Aarau vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Aarau costs about 192% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aarau sits 121% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.10 CHF 23.73

$5.99 COP 21.4K

402.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 CHF 83.6

$32.86 COP 117.4K

222.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.44 CHF 15.33

$7.09 COP 25.3K

174.19%

Cappuccino

$6.35 CHF 5.01

$1.71 COP 6,115

271.35%

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

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$1.10 COP 3,924

203.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CHF 3.80

$0.78 COP 2,781

519.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 CHF 6.43

$1.68 COP 5,997

385.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 CHF 5.77

$3.07 COP 11.0K

138.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$1.09 COP 3,906

99.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$1.26 COP 4,508

165.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$1.38 COP 4,922

84.06%

Eggs

$7.00 CHF 5.52

$2.19 COP 7,827

219.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.74

$4.40 COP 15.7K

555.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.39 CHF 28.69

$5.63 COP 20.1K

546.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.90 CHF 34.61

$8.89 COP 31.8K

393.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.20

$2.34 COP 8,349

19.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.68

$1.06 COP 3,777

100.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.22

$1.50 COP 5,374

87.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 CHF 4.47

$1.38 COP 4,924

310.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.15 COP 4,111

96.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.62

$1.16 COP 4,155

76.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$0.89 COP 3,182

182.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CHF 1.20

$0.84 COP 2,997

80.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 CHF 8.21

$2.28 COP 8,145

356.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CHF 8.39

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$1.20 COP 4,284

85.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.73

$2.47 COP 8,824

-10.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$0.86 COP 3,056

387.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$149 CHF 118

$41.40 COP 147.9K

260.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 CHF 6.83

$1.47 COP 5,264

489.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.60 CHF 4.41

$1.96 COP 7,009

185.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 68.9

$7.74 COP 27.6K

1028.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$0.95 COP 3,409

131.58%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

119.46%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

56.72%

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

$251 CHF 198

$82.3 COP 293.7K

204.72%

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

$42.50 CHF 33.51

$9.50 COP 33.9K

347.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 47.20

$24.23 COP 86.5K

147.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 CHF 52.3

$25.89 COP 92.4K

156.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.53 CHF 32.74

$19.00 COP 67.9K

118.58%

Cinema Ticket

$22.96 CHF 18.10

$3.93 COP 14.0K

484.22%

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

$3,147 CHF 2,481

$309 COP 1.1M

917.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K CHF 19.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

319.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 CHF 73.1

$58.7 COP 209.5K

58.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CHF 41.85

$32.35 COP 115.5K

64.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CHF 88.9

$103 COP 366.4K

9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 136

$108 COP 387.2K

58.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CHF 1,033

$476 COP 1.7M

175.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 CHF 811

$379 COP 1.4M

171.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CHF 1,924

$838 COP 3.0M

191.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 CHF 1,641

$724 COP 2.6M

187.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,330

$2,791 COP 10.0M

278.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,910

$1,211 COP 4.3M

937.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,301 CHF 5,756

$512 COP 1.8M

1326.67%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Aarau versus $476 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 1327% 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 $106 in Aarau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $188 – 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 192% 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 $4,443 per month in Aarau and $1,519 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 260% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,147 per month in Aarau and $309 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 $1,013, than in Aarau at $2,962. 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 $1,013 versus $2,962 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.