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: $3,253 in Ascona versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,047 in Ascona versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,841 in Ascona versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Ascona is roughly 216% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ascona is 143% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.62 CHF 17.73

$5.92 COP 21.2K

282.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$167 CHF 131

$33.17 COP 118.7K

404.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.90 CHF 14.82

$7.25 COP 25.9K

160.69%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CHF 3.33

$1.71 COP 6,137

148.54%

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

$5.92 CHF 4.64

$1.09 COP 3,915

443.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.23

$0.77 COP 2,743

601.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.66 CHF 8.36

$1.75 COP 6,254

509.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 CHF 5.65

$3.18 COP 11.4K

126.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.71

$1.06 COP 3,792

105.66%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 CHF 3.16

$1.30 COP 4,657

210.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.87

$1.38 COP 4,926

73.19%

Eggs

$5.51 CHF 4.32

$2.21 COP 7,908

149.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 CHF 9.80

$4.52 COP 16.2K

176.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.15 CHF 12.66

$5.80 COP 20.7K

178.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.46 CHF 34.07

$8.97 COP 32.1K

384.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 2.98

$2.29 COP 8,182

65.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.61

$1.06 COP 3,791

93.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.25

$1.51 COP 5,411

90.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.05 CHF 5.53

$1.36 COP 4,869

418.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$1.16 COP 4,146

100.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.93

$1.17 COP 4,174

110.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 1.99

$0.83 COP 2,960

204.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CHF 1.27

$0.85 COP 3,043

91.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 CHF 8.09

$2.35 COP 8,423

339.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.85 CHF 14.78

$11.09 COP 39.7K

69.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.10 CHF 3.22

$1.15 COP 4,133

256.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 CHF 3.48

$2.47 COP 8,853

79.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 CHF 2.57

$0.79 COP 2,827

315.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 CHF 77.5

$41.85 COP 149.8K

136.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 CHF 6.80

$1.44 COP 5,140

502.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.44 CHF 4.27

$1.90 COP 6,793

186.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.0 CHF 68.2

$7.70 COP 27.6K

1029.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.72

$1.03 COP 3,680

112.62%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

130.89%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.5K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

53.57%

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

$292 CHF 229

$81.4 COP 291.4K

258.93%

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

$66.8 CHF 52.4

$9.42 COP 33.7K

609.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 CHF 47.16

$23.77 COP 85.1K

153.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.6 CHF 49.05

$25.86 COP 92.6K

141.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$23.02 CHF 18.05

$4.05 COP 14.5K

468.40%

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

$4,078 CHF 3,197

$312 COP 1.1M

1204.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.3K CHF 31.6K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

563.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 85.8

$58.9 COP 210.7K

85.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 CHF 42.86

$32.82 COP 117.5K

66.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 123

$100 COP 359.6K

56.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 148

$106 COP 380.3K

77.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 CHF 1,256

$490 COP 1.8M

227.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 CHF 1,140

$371 COP 1.3M

292.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,836 CHF 2,224

$838 COP 3.0M

238.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,444 CHF 1,916

$715 COP 2.6M

241.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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 Ascona: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Ascona and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $167 in Ascona vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 vs $190 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 216% in total monthly costs ($3,253 vs $1,030 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,879 in Ascona and $1,544 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: $1,602 in Ascona versus $490 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 136% less than in Ascona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $4,078 in Ascona versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $3,253 in Ascona, a $1,500 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 216% less than in Ascona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.