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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,519 per month in Altstätten vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,382 per month in Altstätten vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,245 per month in Altstätten vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 241% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Altstätten sits 163% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.29 CHF 24.49

$6.16 COP 20.1K

391.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 116

$32.60 COP 106.1K

339.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.49 CHF 14.95

$7.34 COP 23.9K

151.91%

Cappuccino

$6.01 CHF 4.86

$1.72 COP 5,600

249.42%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.34

$1.05 COP 3,420

410.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 CHF 3.83

$0.77 COP 2,515

515.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.42 CHF 6.81

$1.69 COP 5,488

398.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 6.03

$3.17 COP 10.3K

135.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$1.05 COP 3,423

104.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 CHF 2.83

$1.30 COP 4,236

169.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 CHF 3.28

$1.40 COP 4,544

190.00%

Eggs

$7.56 CHF 6.12

$2.16 COP 7,047

250.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.70 CHF 23.21

$4.39 COP 14.3K

553.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.14 CHF 27.60

$5.88 COP 19.1K

480.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.05 CHF 38.84

$8.64 COP 28.1K

456.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CHF 3.05

$2.28 COP 7,426

65.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$1.11 COP 3,604

107.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.36

$1.53 COP 4,983

90.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 CHF 4.97

$1.35 COP 4,410

355.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.05

$1.13 COP 3,674

124.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$1.13 COP 3,692

115.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$0.85 COP 2,753

197.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.07

$0.91 COP 2,975

45.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.09

$2.34 COP 7,630

380.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.09 CHF 10.58

$12.37 COP 40.3K

5.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$1.20 COP 3,909

102.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.66

$2.49 COP 8,104

32.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.09

$0.84 COP 2,728

354.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 80.0

$40.57 COP 132.1K

143.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 CHF 6.28

$1.42 COP 4,623

447.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.32

$1.92 COP 6,235

114.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.2 CHF 65.6

$7.66 COP 24.9K

959.40%

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)

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

120.22%

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

$41.3K CHF 33.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

54.97%

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

$262 CHF 212

$80.8 COP 263.1K

223.73%

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

$49.27 CHF 39.83

$9.95 COP 32.4K

395.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 48.14

$24.18 COP 78.7K

146.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.1 CHF 72.0

$25.08 COP 81.7K

255.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 CHF 18.25

$3.98 COP 13.0K

467.09%

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

$2,867 CHF 2,318

$305 COP 993.5K

839.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

462.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 111

$58.1 COP 189.2K

136.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 CHF 54.7

$32.20 COP 104.8K

109.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 CHF 118

$101 COP 327.9K

44.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

$108 COP 350.8K

71.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CHF 1,366

$477 COP 1.6M

254.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 CHF 1,190

$376 COP 1.2M

291.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,877 CHF 2,326

$845 COP 2.7M

240.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,434 CHF 1,968

$730 COP 2.4M

233.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.7K CHF 12.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

389.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.7K CHF 10.3K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

824.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,689 in Altstätten 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $143 in Altstätten versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $662 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

Altstätten vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 241%, 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 $5,279 per month in Altstätten 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,519 in Altstätten and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 144% 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 $1,031, than in Altstätten at $3,519. 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.