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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,120 per month in Biel vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,725 per month in Biel vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,330 per month in Biel vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Biel costs about 203% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Biel sits 134% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.31 CHF 19.28

$6.00 COP 20.6K

305.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 86.6

$32.84 COP 112.5K

232.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.01 CHF 12.70

$7.42 COP 25.4K

115.77%

Cappuccino

$6.15 CHF 4.88

$1.65 COP 5,659

272.73%

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

$5.31 CHF 4.21

$1.07 COP 3,663

396.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.87

$0.76 COP 2,607

540.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.65 CHF 6.06

$1.72 COP 5,908

344.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$3.20 COP 11.0K

115.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$1.05 COP 3,597

107.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 2.99

$1.31 COP 4,479

187.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 CHF 3.38

$1.34 COP 4,591

217.91%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 5.98

$2.19 COP 7,521

244.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.72 CHF 24.37

$4.41 COP 15.1K

596.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.92 CHF 27.69

$5.69 COP 19.5K

513.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.7 CHF 41.01

$8.52 COP 29.2K

506.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.66

$2.34 COP 8,023

43.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.11 COP 3,804

101.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.38

$1.52 COP 5,210

98.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$1.37 COP 4,680

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 1.97

$1.15 COP 3,950

115.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$1.18 COP 4,043

111.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.07

$0.84 COP 2,885

209.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 CHF 0.71

$0.86 COP 2,931

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.11 CHF 8.81

$2.26 COP 7,753

391.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 CHF 10.76

$11.60 COP 39.8K

16.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 CHF 1.83

$1.20 COP 4,109

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.64

$2.48 COP 8,484

34.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 CHF 3.50

$0.79 COP 2,721

459.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 87.3

$40.83 COP 139.9K

169.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.94

$1.47 COP 5,023

753.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$1.92 COP 6,568

120.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.5 CHF 67.0

$7.77 COP 26.6K

987.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.70

$1.01 COP 3,464

111.88%

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

$31.1K CHF 24.7K

$17.7K COP 60.5M

76.09%

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

$28.6K CHF 22.6K

$26.5K COP 90.7M

7.94%

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

$245 CHF 194

$81.1 COP 277.9K

202.08%

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

$35.79 CHF 28.38

$9.43 COP 32.3K

279.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CHF 44.44

$23.86 COP 81.8K

134.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 CHF 90.0

$25.99 COP 89.1K

336.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.6 CHF 58.4

$18.71 COP 64.1K

293.21%

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 CHF 17.90

$4.09 COP 14.0K

451.83%

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

$2,933 CHF 2,326

$315 COP 1.1M

832.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

$6,022 COP 20.6M

608.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$59.7 COP 204.6K

132.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 CHF 37.24

$31.97 COP 109.6K

46.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 CHF 105

$101 COP 346.9K

30.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 CHF 127

$105 COP 360.3K

52.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CHF 1,022

$485 COP 1.7M

165.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 CHF 916

$365 COP 1.3M

216.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 CHF 1,826

$827 COP 2.8M

178.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CHF 1,444

$730 COP 2.5M

149.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,071

$2,992 COP 10.3M

240.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,232 CHF 6,529

$1,314 COP 4.5M

526.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,807 CHF 6,191

$551 COP 1.9M

1317.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.88

13.43

-86.00%

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

Last update for Biel: June 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Biel versus $485 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 1317% 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 $109 in Biel versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $670 vs $190 – 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 203%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,679 per month in Biel and $1,542 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 170% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,933 per month in Biel and $315 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 $1,028, than in Biel at $3,120. 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.