Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,862 per month in Biel vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,510 per month in Biel vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,157 per month in Biel vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

Biel costs about 80% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Biel and Medellin sit above the global median – Biel by 114%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.59 CHF 24.61

$8.01 COP 25.8K

269.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 88.6

$46.55 COP 149.9K

128.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.30 CHF 15.22

$9.43 COP 30.4K

94.06%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 5.13

$2.91 COP 9,374

112.03%

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

$5.01 CHF 4.16

$1.75 COP 5,643

186.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 CHF 3.43

$1.32 COP 4,263

212.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 CHF 6.46

$3.13 COP 10.1K

147.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 CHF 4.07

$5.55 COP 17.9K

-11.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.79

$1.41 COP 4,542

52.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.31

$2.44 COP 7,858

63.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.74

$1.63 COP 5,245

101.84%

Eggs

$7.08 CHF 5.89

$2.82 COP 9,084

151.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.61 CHF 18.80

$9.69 COP 31.2K

133.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.65 CHF 22.99

$9.32 COP 30.0K

196.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.52 CHF 32.03

$13.46 COP 43.3K

186.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 CHF 2.58

$4.00 COP 12.9K

-22.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.69

$1.48 COP 4,768

37.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.07

$2.12 COP 6,839

17.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 CHF 2.67

$2.25 COP 7,253

42.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 CHF 1.18

$1.91 COP 6,155

-26.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 CHF 1.46

$1.62 COP 5,214

8.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 CHF 1.66

$1.15 COP 3,696

73.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.88

$1.26 COP 4,063

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 CHF 8.84

$3.82 COP 12.3K

178.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 CHF 12.32

$13.11 COP 42.2K

12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 CHF 0.76

$1.60 COP 5,136

-42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CHF 1.48

$2.26 COP 7,263

-20.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.77 CHF 3.97

$1.17 COP 3,770

307.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.5 CHF 78.6

$75.0 COP 241.5K

25.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.54

$1.27 COP 4,098

518.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.64 CHF 3.86

$2.05 COP 6,600

126.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.3 CHF 70.1

$8.20 COP 26.4K

927.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.83

$1.27 COP 4,088

74.02%

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

$41.9K CHF 34.8K

$26.8K COP 86.2M

56.50%

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

$34.0K CHF 28.3K

$34.4K COP 110.8M

-1.06%

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

$137 CHF 114

$162 COP 522.3K

-15.78%

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

$35.28 CHF 29.34

$13.12 COP 42.3K

168.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 CHF 43.21

$28.09 COP 90.5K

84.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.8 CHF 62.2

$44.33 COP 142.7K

68.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.6K

Cinema Ticket

$22.05 CHF 18.34

$6.09 COP 19.6K

262.07%

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

$2,615 CHF 2,174

$764 COP 2.5M

242.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K CHF 31.0K

$8,904 COP 28.7M

318.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 CHF 88.2

$85.0 COP 273.6K

24.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 CHF 33.30

$57.5 COP 185.1K

-30.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 CHF 114

$132 COP 424.2K

3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 CHF 177

$95.8 COP 308.3K

122.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 CHF 1,030

$1,028 COP 3.3M

20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CHF 936

$604 COP 1.9M

86.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 CHF 1,872

$1,802 COP 5.8M

24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 CHF 1,669

$993 COP 3.2M

102.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,747 CHF 8,106

$3,921 COP 12.6M

148.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,907 CHF 6,575

$1,639 COP 5.3M

382.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,538 CHF 4,605

$626 COP 2.0M

784.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.68

10.94

-84.64%

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

Last update for Biel: October 4, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,239 in Biel versus $1,028 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 784% higher in Biel, 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 $107 in Biel versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $288 – 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

Biel vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,293 per month in Biel and $2,384 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.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,615 per month in Biel and $764 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Biel at $2,862. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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, Biel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.