Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baden and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $3,825 in Baden, rent and utilities included – about $26,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Baden
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,825
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baden 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 Baden and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,825 per month in Baden vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Baden $3,825
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $5,558 per month in Baden vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Baden $5,558
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $7,291 per month in Baden vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Baden $7,291
  • Medellin $3,190

Baden costs about 137% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Baden and Medellin sit above the global median – Baden by 183%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Baden
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$34.26 CHF 28.22
$7.93 COP 25.2K
332.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$124 CHF 102
$46.13 COP 146.3K
169.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$17.62 CHF 14.51
$9.50 COP 30.1K
85.47%
Cappuccino
$6.10 CHF 5.03
$3.11 COP 9,866
96.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.87 CHF 4.84
$1.83 COP 5,800
220.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.18 CHF 4.26
$1.38 COP 4,360
275.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.41 CHF 7.75
$3.05 COP 9,672
208.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.44 CHF 6.95
$5.50 COP 17.4K
53.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baden
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.20 CHF 1.81
$1.45 COP 4,600
51.72%
White Bread (500g)
$3.28 CHF 2.70
$2.36 COP 7,496
38.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.85 CHF 3.17
$1.68 COP 5,328
129.17%
Eggs
$7.93 CHF 6.53
$2.86 COP 9,077
177.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$27.14 CHF 22.35
$10.19 COP 32.3K
166.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$28.23 CHF 23.25
$9.53 COP 30.2K
196.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$47.66 CHF 39.26
$14.04 COP 44.5K
239.46%
Apples (1kg)
$3.99 CHF 3.28
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-1.97%
Banana (1kg)
$2.71 CHF 2.23
$1.50 COP 4,742
80.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.03 CHF 2.49
$2.17 COP 6,891
39.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.68 CHF 3.85
$2.31 COP 7,310
102.60%
Potato (1kg)
$2.49 CHF 2.05
$1.93 COP 6,113
29.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 CHF 1.78
$1.64 COP 5,196
32.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 CHF 2.00
$1.13 COP 3,571
115.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 CHF 1.04
$1.25 COP 3,954
0.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.86 CHF 8.95
$3.99 COP 12.6K
172.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.03 CHF 9.91
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-9.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 CHF 2.01
$1.70 COP 5,384
43.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 CHF 2.41
$2.37 COP 7,525
23.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Baden
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.56 CHF 2.94
$1.21 COP 3,827
194.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 CHF 87.4
$76.5 COP 242.5K
38.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.93 CHF 6.53
$1.32 COP 4,179
500.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.63 CHF 3.81
$2.14 COP 6,774
116.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$88.1 CHF 72.5
$8.47 COP 26.8K
939.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.37 CHF 1.96
$1.30 COP 4,114
82.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.4K CHF 33.3K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
44.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K CHF 32.5K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
11.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baden
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$278 CHF 229
$172 COP 545.6K
61.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.12 CHF 37.99
$13.37 COP 42.4K
244.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.0 CHF 52.7
$28.73 COP 91.1K
122.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baden
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$154 CHF 127
$45.24 COP 143.5K
241.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$48.23 CHF 39.72
$17.04 COP 54.0K
183.04%
Cinema Ticket
$23.12 CHF 19.04
$6.28 COP 19.9K
268.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baden
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,492 CHF 2,876
$770 COP 2.4M
353.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.6K CHF 26.9K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
262.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baden
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$143 CHF 118
$86.4 COP 274.0K
65.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$77.9 CHF 64.2
$57.1 COP 181.1K
36.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$163 CHF 134
$137 COP 432.9K
19.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$194 CHF 160
$97.9 COP 310.4K
98.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baden
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,004 CHF 1,651
$1,055 COP 3.3M
89.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 CHF 1,399
$616 COP 2.0M
175.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,310 CHF 2,726
$1,892 COP 6.0M
74.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,391 CHF 1,969
$1,023 COP 3.2M
133.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$17.0K CHF 14.0K
$4,059 COP 12.9M
319.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$13.2K CHF 10.9K
$1,678 COP 5.3M
685.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baden
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,919 CHF 7,346
$652 COP 2.1M
1267.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.42
10.94
-77.88%

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

Last update for Baden: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Baden
$1.7K
Medellin
$616 63.8% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Baden
$618
Medellin
$295 52.3% $323
Eating Out
Baden
$508
Medellin
$168 66.9% $340
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baden
$388
Medellin
$214 44.8% $174
Clothing & Footwear
Baden
$260
Medellin
$170 34.6% $90
Sport & Entertainment
Baden
$201
Medellin
$58 71.2% $143
Getting Around
Baden
$151
Medellin
$93 38.4% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,004 in Baden 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 1267% higher in Baden, 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 $124 in Baden versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $618 vs $295 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Baden
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
14:34 2:34 PM
07:34 7:34 AM
7 h behind Baden
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,168
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Baden Medellin 9,040 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Baden
  • 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
Baden vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Baden?
Yes – Baden is pricier by about 137%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,738 per month in Baden and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Baden and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 110% more in Baden, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Baden or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Baden and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Baden or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Baden at $3,825. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Baden or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Baden or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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