Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $3,464 in Arbon, rent and utilities included – about $22,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

167

Cost of Living Index in Arbon
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Arbon Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Arbon

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,464

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arbon and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Arbon and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,464 per month in Arbon vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

Arbon $3,464
Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $5,192 per month in Arbon vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

Arbon $5,192
Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $6,920 per month in Arbon vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

Arbon $6,920
Medellin $3,190

Arbon costs about 115% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Arbon and Medellin sit above the global median – Arbon by 157%, Medellin by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.53 CHF 24.33

$7.93 COP 25.2K

272.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 118

$46.13 COP 146.3K

211.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.95 CHF 15.61

$9.50 COP 30.1K

99.47%

Cappuccino

$6.11 CHF 5.03

$3.11 COP 9,866

96.46%

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

$5.74 CHF 4.73

$1.83 COP 5,800

213.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CHF 4.19

$1.38 COP 4,360

268.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 CHF 7.42

$3.05 COP 9,672

195.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CHF 5.08

$5.50 COP 17.4K

12.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.78

$1.45 COP 4,600

48.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 CHF 2.60

$2.36 COP 7,496

33.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.12

$1.68 COP 5,328

125.60%

Eggs

$7.88 CHF 6.49

$2.86 COP 9,077

175.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.14 CHF 20.71

$10.19 COP 32.3K

146.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.41

$9.53 COP 30.2K

198.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.09 CHF 33.84

$14.04 COP 44.5K

192.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 CHF 2.82

$4.07 COP 12.9K

-15.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.65

$1.50 COP 4,742

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.97

$2.17 COP 6,891

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 CHF 4.35

$2.31 COP 7,310

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 CHF 1.68

$1.93 COP 6,113

5.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.80

$1.64 COP 5,196

33.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CHF 1.88

$1.13 COP 3,571

101.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 1.01

$1.25 COP 3,954

-2.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.64 CHF 8.77

$3.99 COP 12.6K

166.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.47 CHF 13.57

$13.35 COP 42.3K

23.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 CHF 1.75

$1.70 COP 5,384

24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.85

$2.37 COP 7,525

-5.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.81 CHF 3.96

$1.21 COP 3,827

297.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 CHF 79.1

$76.5 COP 242.5K

25.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.50 CHF 5.35

$1.32 COP 4,179

392.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.73 CHF 3.89

$2.14 COP 6,774

121.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.17 CHF 29.79

$8.47 COP 26.8K

327.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.89

$1.30 COP 4,114

76.15%

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

$34.5K CHF 28.4K

$28.0K COP 88.7M

23.09%

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

$39.3K CHF 32.4K

$35.4K COP 112.3M

10.94%

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

$275 CHF 227

$172 COP 545.6K

60.03%

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

$38.11 CHF 31.39

$13.37 COP 42.4K

185.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 CHF 44.78

$28.73 COP 91.1K

89.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.0 CHF 74.1

$45.24 COP 143.5K

98.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.06 CHF 32.17

$17.04 COP 54.0K

129.23%

Cinema Ticket

$23.43 CHF 19.29

$6.28 COP 19.9K

273.09%

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

$2,250 CHF 1,853

$770 COP 2.4M

192.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K CHF 25.8K

$9,011 COP 28.6M

247.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 118

$86.4 COP 274.0K

65.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 CHF 53.6

$57.1 COP 181.1K

13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 CHF 118

$137 COP 432.9K

4.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 CHF 146

$97.9 COP 310.4K

81.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 CHF 1,286

$1,055 COP 3.3M

47.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 CHF 1,253

$616 COP 2.0M

147.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,904 CHF 2,392

$1,892 COP 6.0M

53.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,322 CHF 1,912

$1,023 COP 3.2M

127.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K CHF 11.5K

$4,059 COP 12.9M

243.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.6K CHF 11.2K

$1,678 COP 5.3M

713.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.1K CHF 9,124

$652 COP 2.1M

1598.04%

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: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Arbon

$1.5K 43.9%

Medellin

$616 38.2% 59.5% $905

Groceries & Markets

Arbon

$588 17%

Medellin

$295 18.3% 49.9% $293

Eating Out

Arbon

$467 13.5%

Medellin

$168 10.4% 63.9% $299

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arbon

$368 10.6%

Medellin

$214 13.3% 41.8% $154

Clothing & Footwear

Arbon

$238 6.9%

Medellin

$170 10.5% 28.5% $68

Getting Around

Arbon

$145 4.2%

Medellin

$93 5.8% 35.8% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Arbon

$137 4%

Medellin

$58 3.6% 57.8% $79

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,561 in Arbon versus $1,055 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 1598% 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 $144 in Arbon versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $588 vs $295 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Arbon

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

11:29 11:29 AM

04:29 4:29 AM

7 h behind Arbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,853

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to CHF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Arbon Medellin 9,120 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Arbon
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $3,464 in Arbon, $1,614 in Medellin – roughly 115% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,197 per month in Arbon and $2,421 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 $3,464 in Arbon and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 115%.

Public transport costs about 26% 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 $1,614, than in Arbon at $3,464. 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 $1,614 in Medellin to $3,464 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.