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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,526 per month in Altstätten vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,310 per month in Altstätten vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,094 per month in Altstätten vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 248% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Altstätten sits 163% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 24.62

$5.99 COP 21.4K

421.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 114

$32.86 COP 117.4K

338.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.53 CHF 14.61

$7.09 COP 25.3K

161.35%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.79

$1.71 COP 6,115

254.97%

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

$5.40 CHF 4.26

$1.10 COP 3,924

390.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 CHF 3.84

$0.78 COP 2,781

525.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 CHF 6.45

$1.68 COP 5,997

386.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 CHF 5.76

$3.07 COP 11.0K

138.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.72

$1.09 COP 3,906

100.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 CHF 2.76

$1.26 COP 4,508

177.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 CHF 3.29

$1.38 COP 4,922

202.90%

Eggs

$7.61 CHF 6.00

$2.19 COP 7,827

247.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.87 CHF 22.76

$4.40 COP 15.7K

556.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.01 CHF 26.03

$5.63 COP 20.1K

486.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.87 CHF 37.74

$8.89 COP 31.8K

438.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 2.99

$2.34 COP 8,349

62.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$1.06 COP 3,777

120.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.27

$1.50 COP 5,374

92.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.02

$1.38 COP 4,924

360.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$1.15 COP 4,111

113.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$1.16 COP 4,155

106.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 1.98

$0.89 COP 3,182

183.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.04

$0.84 COP 2,997

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CHF 8.81

$2.28 COP 8,145

390.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 CHF 10.89

$10.64 COP 38.0K

29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$1.20 COP 4,284

98.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$2.47 COP 8,824

35.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 CHF 3.12

$0.86 COP 3,056

360.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.2 CHF 76.6

$41.40 COP 147.9K

134.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 CHF 6.11

$1.47 COP 5,264

427.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

$1.96 COP 7,009

111.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.5 CHF 64.3

$7.74 COP 27.6K

952.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$0.95 COP 3,409

126.32%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

119.42%

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

$42.1K CHF 33.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

59.10%

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

$257 CHF 203

$82.3 COP 293.7K

212.92%

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

$48.17 CHF 37.98

$9.50 COP 33.9K

407.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CHF 46.55

$24.23 COP 86.5K

143.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.1

$25.89 COP 92.4K

243.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$22.54 CHF 17.77

$3.93 COP 14.0K

473.54%

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

$2,895 CHF 2,282

$309 COP 1.1M

835.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.3K CHF 27.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

475.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 109

$58.7 COP 209.5K

136.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.0 CHF 53.6

$32.35 COP 115.5K

110.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$103 COP 366.4K

45.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 148

$108 COP 387.2K

73.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 CHF 1,334

$476 COP 1.7M

255.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CHF 1,174

$379 COP 1.4M

293.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 CHF 2,217

$838 COP 3.0M

235.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 1,951

$724 COP 2.6M

241.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

412.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,071

$1,211 COP 4.3M

745.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 Altstätten: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,691 in Altstätten 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Altstätten versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $660 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

Altstätten vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 248%, 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 $5,289 per month in Altstätten 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,526 in Altstätten and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 135% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Altstätten at $3,526. 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.