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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,825 per month in Aarau vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,712 per month in Aarau vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,599 per month in Aarau vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Aarau costs about 65% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aarau and Medellin sit above the global median – Aarau by 106%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.44 CHF 24.75

$8.03 COP 25.3K

279.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 87.9

$48.26 COP 152.0K

123.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.92 CHF 15.38

$9.77 COP 30.8K

93.65%

Cappuccino

$5.89 CHF 4.79

$2.91 COP 9,167

102.41%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.32

$1.94 COP 6,122

174.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 CHF 4.00

$1.52 COP 4,792

224.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CHF 4.92

$3.09 COP 9,740

95.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 CHF 5.39

$5.74 COP 18.1K

15.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$1.36 COP 4,296

54.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 CHF 3.19

$2.39 COP 7,519

64.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.23

$1.70 COP 5,356

61.18%

Eggs

$7.61 CHF 6.19

$2.87 COP 9,038

165.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.31 CHF 26.27

$9.94 COP 31.3K

225.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.77 CHF 25.02

$10.78 COP 34.0K

185.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.70 CHF 33.90

$14.73 COP 46.4K

183.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.42

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-27.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.47

$1.57 COP 4,950

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$2.13 COP 6,695

18.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.92 CHF 4.82

$2.21 COP 6,972

167.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.45

$2.05 COP 6,447

-13.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.62

$1.50 COP 4,737

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$1.19 COP 3,747

94.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CHF 0.97

$1.16 COP 3,647

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 CHF 9.22

$3.90 COP 12.3K

190.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 CHF 8.46

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-27.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CHF 2.16

$1.58 COP 4,987

67.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CHF 2.45

$2.83 COP 8,905

6.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.25 CHF 4.27

$1.17 COP 3,679

348.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$150 CHF 122

$77.7 COP 244.8K

93.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 CHF 5.98

$1.28 COP 4,045

475.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 CHF 2.73

$2.09 COP 6,589

60.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 CHF 51.3

$8.62 COP 27.1K

631.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.30 COP 4,088

74.62%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.0K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

59.89%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.8K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

13.55%

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

$125 CHF 102

$176 COP 554.5K

-28.97%

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

$32.27 CHF 26.24

$13.37 COP 42.1K

141.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 46.79

$29.89 COP 94.1K

92.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.9 CHF 80.4

$44.76 COP 141.0K

120.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$62.0 CHF 50.4

$17.06 COP 53.7K

263.54%

Cinema Ticket

$22.11 CHF 17.97

$6.20 COP 19.5K

256.61%

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

$3,186 CHF 2,590

$793 COP 2.5M

301.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K CHF 20.1K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

174.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 CHF 75.2

$85.6 COP 269.6K

8.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.1 CHF 61.0

$58.5 COP 184.1K

28.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 CHF 90.9

$136 COP 429.3K

-17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 CHF 139

$103 COP 324.7K

65.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 CHF 1,049

$1,060 COP 3.3M

21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 CHF 853

$680 COP 2.1M

54.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 CHF 1,877

$2,012 COP 6.3M

14.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,179 CHF 1,771

$1,169 COP 3.7M

86.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,414

$4,111 COP 12.9M

151.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,928

$1,701 COP 5.4M

617.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,161 CHF 5,822

$665 COP 2.1M

976.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

10.94

-78.88%

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

Last update for Aarau: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,291 in Aarau versus $1,060 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 976% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $616 vs $303 – 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 65% 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 $4,237 per month in Aarau and $2,574 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 93% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,186 per month in Aarau and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Aarau at $2,825. 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 $1,716 versus $2,825 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.