Cost of Living Comparison Between Ascona and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ascona and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,521 in Ascona versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,411 in Ascona versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,300 in Ascona versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Ascona is roughly 115% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ascona 155% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.18 CHF 20.47

$8.04 COP 24.8K

213.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.4

$48.29 COP 149.1K

153.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.03 CHF 17.92

$9.42 COP 29.1K

133.86%

Cappuccino

$6.92 CHF 5.63

$2.94 COP 9,070

135.37%

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

$3.07 CHF 2.50

$1.86 COP 5,754

65.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 CHF 4.99

$1.46 COP 4,494

319.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.67 CHF 7.86

$3.21 COP 9,915

201.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CHF 3.03

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-34.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$1.44 COP 4,443

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 CHF 3.37

$2.40 COP 7,413

72.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CHF 3.41

$1.70 COP 5,245

146.47%

Eggs

$8.11 CHF 6.60

$2.89 COP 8,925

180.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.32 CHF 22.22

$10.06 COP 31.1K

171.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.34 CHF 26.29

$9.97 COP 30.8K

224.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.01 CHF 34.97

$14.20 COP 43.9K

202.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.98

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.66

$1.58 COP 4,894

29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.37

$2.15 COP 6,646

35.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 CHF 4.57

$2.30 COP 7,101

144.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$2.00 COP 6,189

0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.75

$1.51 COP 4,661

43.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CHF 1.91

$1.20 COP 3,713

95.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.13

$1.28 COP 3,959

8.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 CHF 9.14

$3.84 COP 11.8K

192.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 CHF 15.35

$14.01 COP 43.3K

34.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CHF 2.36

$1.71 COP 5,273

69.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 CHF 3.25

$2.74 COP 8,468

45.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 CHF 3.73

$1.25 COP 3,847

266.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.8 CHF 70.6

$77.9 COP 240.5K

11.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.09 CHF 7.39

$1.31 COP 4,030

593.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.10 CHF 4.96

$2.17 COP 6,702

181.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.7 CHF 74.5

$8.29 COP 25.6K

1005.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$1.36 COP 4,186

70.59%

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

$44.3K CHF 36.0K

$27.5K COP 84.8M

61.21%

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

$40.6K CHF 33.0K

$36.5K COP 112.8M

11.02%

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

$229 CHF 186

$169 COP 521.0K

35.88%

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

$41.14 CHF 33.45

$13.57 COP 41.9K

203.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CHF 51.2

$28.32 COP 87.5K

122.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.3 CHF 75.9

$45.71 COP 141.1K

104.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.5 CHF 43.51

$17.22 COP 53.2K

210.74%

Cinema Ticket

$23.75 CHF 19.31

$6.65 COP 20.5K

257.14%

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

$4,380 CHF 3,561

$803 COP 2.5M

445.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K CHF 29.7K

$9,190 COP 28.4M

297.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$171 CHF 139

$87.4 COP 269.7K

95.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 CHF 55.6

$59.4 COP 183.3K

15.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$195 CHF 159

$139 COP 428.9K

40.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$274 CHF 223

$102 COP 315.1K

168.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 CHF 1,407

$1,071 COP 3.3M

61.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CHF 1,354

$653 COP 2.0M

154.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,013 CHF 2,450

$1,925 COP 5.9M

56.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,671 CHF 2,171

$1,048 COP 3.2M

154.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

298.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.7K CHF 9,522

$1,697 COP 5.2M

589.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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 Ascona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,730 in Ascona and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $122 in Ascona vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $653 vs $300 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Ascona vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ascona and Medellin differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($3,521 vs $1,641 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,282 in Ascona and $2,462 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,730 in Ascona versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 11% less than in Ascona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $4,380 in Ascona versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $3,521 in Ascona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ascona. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ascona and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Ascona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.