Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,867 in Dubendorf versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,690 in Dubendorf versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Dubendorf versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 125% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 181% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.67 CHF 24.94

$8.03 COP 25.3K

281.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 98.6

$48.26 COP 152.0K

151.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 CHF 13.45

$9.77 COP 30.8K

69.29%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.05

$2.91 COP 9,167

113.40%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.45

$1.94 COP 6,122

181.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 CHF 4.01

$1.52 COP 4,792

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.60 CHF 7.00

$3.09 COP 9,740

178.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CHF 5.45

$5.74 COP 18.1K

16.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$1.36 COP 4,296

60.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 CHF 3.17

$2.39 COP 7,519

63.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$1.70 COP 5,356

176.47%

Eggs

$7.61 CHF 6.18

$2.87 COP 9,038

165.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.49 CHF 27.22

$9.94 COP 31.3K

236.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.04 CHF 21.99

$10.78 COP 34.0K

150.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.16 CHF 35.09

$14.73 COP 46.4K

193.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.89

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-12.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$1.57 COP 4,950

46.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CHF 2.72

$2.13 COP 6,695

56.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.91 CHF 5.62

$2.21 COP 6,972

212.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.05 COP 6,447

21.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.50 COP 4,737

48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.09

$1.19 COP 3,747

115.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CHF 1.18

$1.16 COP 3,647

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.92

$3.90 COP 12.3K

181.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 CHF 10.90

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-7.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$1.58 COP 4,987

40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 CHF 2.28

$2.83 COP 8,905

-0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$1.17 COP 3,679

112.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.0 CHF 40.65

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-35.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 CHF 4.41

$1.28 COP 4,045

324.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 CHF 2.76

$2.09 COP 6,589

62.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 CHF 50.2

$8.62 COP 27.1K

616.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.30 COP 4,088

70.77%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.8K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

54.98%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

11.73%

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

$233 CHF 190

$176 COP 554.5K

32.61%

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

$32.72 CHF 26.60

$13.37 COP 42.1K

144.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 CHF 54.5

$29.89 COP 94.1K

124.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 CHF 100

$44.76 COP 141.0K

175.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$80.3 CHF 65.2

$17.06 COP 53.7K

370.40%

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.30

$6.20 COP 19.5K

302.74%

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

$1,881 CHF 1,529

$793 COP 2.5M

137.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.8K CHF 26.7K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

263.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$85.6 COP 269.6K

68.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$88.2 CHF 71.7

$58.5 COP 184.1K

50.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 122

$136 COP 429.3K

10.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 CHF 144

$103 COP 324.7K

71.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CHF 1,512

$1,060 COP 3.3M

75.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CHF 1,532

$680 COP 2.1M

177.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,911 CHF 2,366

$2,012 COP 6.3M

44.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,875 CHF 2,337

$1,169 COP 3.7M

146.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,988

$4,111 COP 12.9M

198.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,334 CHF 5,962

$1,701 COP 5.4M

331.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,921 CHF 3,188

$665 COP 2.1M

489.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

10.94

-77.33%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,860 in Dubendorf and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 489% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $121 in Dubendorf vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $638 vs $303 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Dubendorf vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubendorf and Medellin differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($3,867 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 489% higher in Dubendorf, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,860 in Dubendorf versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,867 per month in Dubendorf versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 55% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $3,867 in Dubendorf, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dubendorf. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dubendorf and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.