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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,361 per month in Arbon vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,221 per month in Arbon vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Arbon vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Arbon costs about 226% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arbon sits 152% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.53 CHF 24.68

$6.16 COP 20.1K

395.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 CHF 112

$32.60 COP 106.1K

326.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.34 CHF 14.02

$7.34 COP 23.9K

136.24%

Cappuccino

$6.16 CHF 4.98

$1.72 COP 5,600

258.14%

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

$5.35 CHF 4.32

$1.05 COP 3,420

409.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 CHF 3.52

$0.77 COP 2,515

464.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 CHF 6.24

$1.69 COP 5,488

356.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CHF 5.82

$3.17 COP 10.3K

126.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.84

$1.05 COP 3,423

117.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$1.30 COP 4,236

97.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.93

$1.40 COP 4,544

159.29%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.39

$2.16 COP 7,047

266.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.75 CHF 22.43

$4.39 COP 14.3K

532.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.72 CHF 26.46

$5.88 COP 19.1K

456.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.18 CHF 33.29

$8.64 COP 28.1K

376.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 CHF 2.58

$2.28 COP 7,426

39.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.48

$1.11 COP 3,604

64.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$1.53 COP 4,983

62.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.14

$1.35 COP 4,410

371.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$1.13 COP 3,674

120.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.92

$1.13 COP 3,692

110.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.09

$0.85 COP 2,753

203.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$0.91 COP 2,975

26.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.73

$2.34 COP 7,630

361.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 CHF 9.03

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-9.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.82

$1.20 COP 3,909

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.49 COP 8,104

-6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 CHF 3.15

$0.84 COP 2,728

363.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$40.57 COP 132.1K

139.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 CHF 5.42

$1.42 COP 4,623

372.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$1.92 COP 6,235

120.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.8 CHF 63.7

$7.66 COP 24.9K

929.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$0.99 COP 3,223

119.19%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

120.47%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

61.26%

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

$251 CHF 203

$80.8 COP 263.1K

210.28%

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

$59.3 CHF 47.97

$9.95 COP 32.4K

496.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CHF 43.68

$24.18 COP 78.7K

123.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 72.3

$25.08 COP 81.7K

256.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$22.30 CHF 18.03

$3.98 COP 13.0K

460.30%

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

$2,789 CHF 2,255

$305 COP 993.5K

814.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

607.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 111

$58.1 COP 189.2K

135.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 CHF 52.1

$32.20 COP 104.8K

100.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 106

$101 COP 327.9K

29.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CHF 130

$108 COP 350.8K

49.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 CHF 1,376

$477 COP 1.6M

257.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CHF 1,169

$376 COP 1.2M

284.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 CHF 2,324

$845 COP 2.7M

240.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 CHF 1,971

$730 COP 2.4M

233.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

361.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,587

$1,372 COP 4.5M

673.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.3K CHF 9,150

$617 COP 2.0M

1734.75%

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 Arbon: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,702 in Arbon 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.

Salaries run about 1735% 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 $139 in Arbon versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $608 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

Arbon vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,361 in Arbon, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 226% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,041 per month in Arbon 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 $3,361 in Arbon 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 139% 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 Arbon at $3,361. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $3,361 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.