Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,481 per month in Altstätten vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,317 per month in Altstätten vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,153 per month in Altstätten vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 103% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Altstätten and Medellin sit above the global median – Altstätten by 153%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.73 CHF 24.98

$8.03 COP 25.3K

282.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 CHF 103

$48.26 COP 152.0K

162.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.92 CHF 15.38

$9.77 COP 30.8K

93.65%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$2.91 COP 9,167

117.18%

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

$5.29 CHF 4.30

$1.94 COP 6,122

172.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.96

$1.52 COP 4,792

220.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.55 CHF 6.95

$3.09 COP 9,740

176.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CHF 5.96

$5.74 COP 18.1K

27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.87

$1.36 COP 4,296

68.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 CHF 3.12

$2.39 COP 7,519

60.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 CHF 3.16

$1.70 COP 5,356

128.24%

Eggs

$7.78 CHF 6.33

$2.87 COP 9,038

171.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.55 CHF 21.59

$9.94 COP 31.3K

167.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.79 CHF 22.59

$10.78 COP 34.0K

157.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.73 CHF 33.12

$14.73 COP 46.4K

176.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CHF 2.94

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-11.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.73

$1.57 COP 4,950

35.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.24

$2.13 COP 6,695

29.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 CHF 3.99

$2.21 COP 6,972

121.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CHF 1.50

$2.05 COP 6,447

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.82

$1.50 COP 4,737

48.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$1.19 COP 3,747

89.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 CHF 1.09

$1.16 COP 3,647

16.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.37 CHF 9.24

$3.90 COP 12.3K

191.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 CHF 10.85

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CHF 2.22

$1.58 COP 4,987

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.53

$2.83 COP 8,905

10.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$1.17 COP 3,679

288.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 82.2

$77.7 COP 244.8K

30.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 CHF 6.30

$1.28 COP 4,045

505.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.72 CHF 3.83

$2.09 COP 6,589

125.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.7 CHF 64.8

$8.62 COP 27.1K

824.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$1.30 COP 4,088

76.92%

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

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

56.91%

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

$41.3K CHF 33.6K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

16.31%

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

$285 CHF 232

$176 COP 554.5K

62.10%

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

$33.69 CHF 27.39

$13.37 COP 42.1K

151.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.87

$29.89 COP 94.1K

92.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.1 CHF 77.3

$44.76 COP 141.0K

112.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.32 CHF 37.66

$17.06 COP 53.7K

171.51%

Cinema Ticket

$23.93 CHF 19.45

$6.20 COP 19.5K

285.97%

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

$2,745 CHF 2,231

$793 COP 2.5M

245.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.4K CHF 28.8K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

292.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$148 CHF 120

$85.6 COP 269.6K

72.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 CHF 50.8

$58.5 COP 184.1K

6.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$169 CHF 137

$136 COP 429.3K

24.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 154

$103 COP 324.7K

84.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CHF 1,500

$1,060 COP 3.3M

74.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 CHF 1,215

$680 COP 2.1M

119.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,905 CHF 2,361

$2,012 COP 6.3M

44.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,555 CHF 2,077

$1,169 COP 3.7M

118.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.4K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

301.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,942

$1,701 COP 5.4M

618.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.03

10.94

-81.44%

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

Last update for Altstätten: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,845 in Altstätten 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $127 in Altstätten versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $597 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

Altstätten vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 103%, 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 $5,222 per month in Altstätten 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,481 in Altstätten and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Altstätten at $3,481. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten 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, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.