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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,096 per month in Biel vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,763 per month in Biel vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,429 per month in Biel vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Biel costs about 200% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Biel sits 131% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 CHF 19.52

$5.92 COP 21.5K

317.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 CHF 89.2

$32.75 COP 119.1K

244.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 12.67

$7.20 COP 26.2K

122.64%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.00

$1.70 COP 6,186

272.35%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.20

$1.10 COP 3,996

383.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 CHF 4.00

$0.72 COP 2,625

602.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 CHF 6.15

$1.67 COP 6,067

366.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$3.10 COP 11.3K

121.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$1.06 COP 3,837

112.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 CHF 2.94

$1.25 COP 4,531

197.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.38

$1.39 COP 5,060

207.91%

Eggs

$7.51 CHF 5.94

$2.26 COP 8,229

232.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.27 CHF 23.92

$4.33 COP 15.8K

599.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.98 CHF 28.43

$5.84 COP 21.2K

516.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.17

$8.83 COP 32.1K

475.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.59

$2.24 COP 8,159

46.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$1.08 COP 3,911

113.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.36

$1.53 COP 5,563

94.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CHF 3.44

$1.37 COP 4,987

217.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$1.13 COP 4,109

120.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.89

$1.12 COP 4,067

113.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.11

$0.85 COP 3,080

214.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CHF 0.70

$0.91 COP 3,305

-2.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 8.79

$2.33 COP 8,477

377.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CHF 9.98

$11.13 COP 40.5K

13.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$1.19 COP 4,342

101.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CHF 2.63

$2.37 COP 8,617

40.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 CHF 3.53

$0.79 COP 2,859

465.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.2

$41.13 COP 149.6K

165.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.90

$1.44 COP 5,223

770.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.05 CHF 3.20

$1.91 COP 6,952

112.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.4 CHF 65.1

$8.02 COP 29.2K

927.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$0.94 COP 3,410

128.72%

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

$31.3K CHF 24.8K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

74.82%

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

$28.5K CHF 22.5K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

6.36%

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

$244 CHF 193

$84.0 COP 305.4K

190.72%

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

$36.50 CHF 28.83

$9.60 COP 34.9K

280.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CHF 43.92

$24.16 COP 87.9K

130.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 CHF 90.2

$25.88 COP 94.1K

341.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.2 CHF 57.8

$19.04 COP 69.3K

284.19%

Cinema Ticket

$21.76 CHF 17.19

$3.92 COP 14.2K

455.10%

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

$2,865 CHF 2,263

$306 COP 1.1M

835.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

613.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$57.9 COP 210.6K

143.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 CHF 35.94

$31.82 COP 115.7K

42.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 104

$99.9 COP 363.3K

31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 126

$107 COP 389.7K

48.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CHF 1,025

$487 COP 1.8M

166.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CHF 889

$368 COP 1.3M

205.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 CHF 1,795

$826 COP 3.0M

175.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CHF 1,478

$716 COP 2.6M

161.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,986 CHF 7,889

$2,925 COP 10.6M

241.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,666

$1,407 COP 5.1M

499.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,974 CHF 6,299

$546 COP 2.0M

1361.76%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Biel versus $487 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 1362% 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 $113 in Biel versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $672 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 200%, 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 $4,644 per month in Biel and $1,550 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 165% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,865 per month in Biel and $306 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 $1,034, than in Biel at $3,096. 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.