Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,446 per month in Arbon vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,324 per month in Arbon vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,202 per month in Arbon vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Arbon costs about 101% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arbon and Medellin sit above the global median – Arbon by 151%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CHF 25.44

$8.03 COP 25.3K

289.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 122

$48.26 COP 152.0K

211.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.92 CHF 16.19

$9.77 COP 30.8K

103.89%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 5.11

$2.91 COP 9,167

116.15%

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

$6.09 CHF 4.95

$1.94 COP 6,122

213.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 CHF 4.44

$1.52 COP 4,792

259.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.32 CHF 7.57

$3.09 COP 9,740

201.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 CHF 5.16

$5.74 COP 18.1K

10.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.36 COP 4,296

66.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 CHF 2.58

$2.39 COP 7,519

32.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$1.70 COP 5,356

119.41%

Eggs

$8.07 CHF 6.56

$2.87 COP 9,038

181.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 CHF 21.05

$9.94 COP 31.3K

160.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.96 CHF 23.54

$10.78 COP 34.0K

168.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.89 CHF 34.87

$14.73 COP 46.4K

191.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.96

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-11.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.64

$1.57 COP 4,950

28.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$2.13 COP 6,695

12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 CHF 4.35

$2.21 COP 6,972

142.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.62

$2.05 COP 6,447

-2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.50 COP 4,737

51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$1.19 COP 3,747

95.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 1.00

$1.16 COP 3,647

5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 CHF 9.22

$3.90 COP 12.3K

190.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.57 CHF 14.28

$14.44 COP 45.5K

21.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.58 COP 4,987

43.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$2.83 COP 8,905

-18.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$1.17 COP 3,679

260.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 CHF 74.0

$77.7 COP 244.8K

17.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 CHF 5.39

$1.28 COP 4,045

417.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$2.09 COP 6,589

124.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.2 CHF 66.0

$8.62 COP 27.1K

842.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$1.30 COP 4,088

79.23%

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

$36.4K CHF 29.6K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

31.48%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

15.32%

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

$228 CHF 186

$176 COP 554.5K

29.61%

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

$38.84 CHF 31.58

$13.37 COP 42.1K

190.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 CHF 45.93

$29.89 COP 94.1K

89.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 CHF 64.6

$44.76 COP 141.0K

77.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.5 CHF 43.48

$17.06 COP 53.7K

213.48%

Cinema Ticket

$24.06 CHF 19.56

$6.20 COP 19.5K

288.06%

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

$2,309 CHF 1,877

$793 COP 2.5M

191.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K CHF 26.2K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

257.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$85.6 COP 269.6K

70.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 CHF 53.8

$58.5 COP 184.1K

13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$136 COP 429.3K

9.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 153

$103 COP 324.7K

82.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 CHF 1,265

$1,060 COP 3.3M

46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 CHF 1,091

$680 COP 2.1M

97.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 CHF 2,340

$2,012 COP 6.3M

43.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,212

$1,169 COP 3.7M

132.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

348.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K CHF 9,379

$1,701 COP 5.4M

578.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.6K CHF 9,446

$665 COP 2.1M

1646.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

10.94

-82.63%

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

Last update for Arbon: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Arbon 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 1646% higher in Arbon, 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 $150 in Arbon versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $605 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

Arbon vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,446 in Arbon, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 101% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,170 per month in Arbon 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 $3,446 in Arbon 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 17% 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 Arbon at $3,446. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,716 in Medellin to $3,446 in Arbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Arbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.