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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,916 per month in Biel vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,536 per month in Biel vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,157 per month in Biel vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Biel costs about 73% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Biel and Medellin sit above the global median – Biel by 113%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.25 CHF 24.99

$7.89 COP 24.2K

296.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 CHF 88.2

$44.53 COP 136.5K

147.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.96 CHF 14.36

$9.29 COP 28.5K

93.33%

Cappuccino

$6.28 CHF 5.02

$2.90 COP 8,874

116.55%

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

$5.10 CHF 4.08

$1.81 COP 5,541

181.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.43

$1.55 COP 4,741

176.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 CHF 6.24

$3.25 COP 9,962

140.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.93

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-16.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.78

$1.38 COP 4,230

60.87%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 CHF 3.25

$2.45 COP 7,517

65.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 CHF 2.74

$1.51 COP 4,617

127.15%

Eggs

$7.24 CHF 5.79

$2.78 COP 8,516

160.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.22 CHF 18.56

$9.05 COP 27.7K

156.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.97 CHF 21.56

$10.65 COP 32.6K

153.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.39 CHF 35.49

$14.63 COP 44.8K

203.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.58

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-18.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.76

$1.38 COP 4,219

59.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.97

$2.30 COP 7,056

7.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.63

$2.02 COP 6,185

62.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 CHF 1.20

$2.09 COP 6,390

-28.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.52

$1.63 COP 4,996

16.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CHF 1.77

$1.08 COP 3,313

104.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.91

$1.25 COP 3,843

-8.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.83

$4.03 COP 12.4K

174.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 CHF 12.74

$13.47 COP 41.3K

18.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 CHF 0.73

$1.60 COP 4,904

-43.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CHF 1.47

$3.00 COP 9,189

-38.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.90 CHF 3.92

$1.18 COP 3,611

315.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 CHF 76.0

$79.9 COP 244.9K

18.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 CHF 6.40

$1.61 COP 4,920

396.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.59 CHF 3.67

$2.13 COP 6,533

115.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.1 CHF 68.1

$8.52 COP 26.1K

899.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.78

$1.35 COP 4,142

64.44%

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

$43.1K CHF 34.5K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

52.31%

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

$35.0K CHF 28.0K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-1.95%

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

$141 CHF 113

$151 COP 463.8K

-6.53%

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

$36.50 CHF 29.18

$13.10 COP 40.1K

178.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CHF 41.33

$32.30 COP 99.0K

60.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.9 CHF 61.5

$46.33 COP 141.9K

66.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$22.20 CHF 17.75

$6.43 COP 19.7K

245.26%

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

$2,665 CHF 2,131

$835 COP 2.6M

219.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.5K CHF 30.0K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

322.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.6

$89.3 COP 273.7K

22.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.60 CHF 39.66

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-10.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 CHF 114

$137 COP 418.5K

4.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 177

$109 COP 335.1K

102.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CHF 1,034

$952 COP 2.9M

35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 CHF 914

$668 COP 2.0M

71.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 CHF 1,822

$2,020 COP 6.2M

12.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 CHF 1,635

$1,148 COP 3.5M

78.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,821 CHF 7,853

$3,696 COP 11.3M

165.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,971 CHF 6,373

$1,586 COP 4.9M

402.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,625 CHF 4,498

$625 COP 1.9M

799.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.68

10.43

-83.89%

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

Last update for Biel: August 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Biel versus $952 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 799% 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 $110 in Biel versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $570 vs $297 – 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 73%, 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 $4,374 per month in Biel and $2,530 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 19% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,665 per month in Biel and $835 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Biel at $2,916. 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.