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: $3,866 in Dubendorf versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,884 in Dubendorf versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,901 in Dubendorf versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 275% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dubendorf is 189% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.26 CHF 25.27

$6.16 COP 20.1K

407.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 117

$32.60 COP 106.1K

344.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.61 CHF 15.04

$7.34 COP 23.9K

153.54%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 4.99

$1.72 COP 5,600

258.72%

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

$5.79 CHF 4.68

$1.05 COP 3,420

451.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CHF 4.19

$0.77 COP 2,515

572.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$1.69 COP 5,488

340.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.79

$3.17 COP 10.3K

126.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$1.05 COP 3,423

115.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$1.30 COP 4,236

151.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

$1.40 COP 4,544

194.29%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.05

$2.16 COP 7,047

246.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.48 CHF 23.84

$4.39 COP 14.3K

571.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.92 CHF 25.81

$5.88 COP 19.1K

442.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 40.73

$8.64 COP 28.1K

483.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$2.28 COP 7,426

41.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.28

$1.11 COP 3,604

154.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.54

$1.53 COP 4,983

105.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$1.35 COP 4,410

439.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$1.13 COP 3,674

143.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$1.13 COP 3,692

106.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.06

$0.85 COP 2,753

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.38

$0.91 COP 2,975

87.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.07

$2.34 COP 7,630

379.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 CHF 10.72

$12.37 COP 40.3K

7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$1.20 COP 3,909

85.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CHF 2.41

$2.49 COP 8,104

19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.76 CHF 6.27

$0.84 COP 2,728

823.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 CHF 100

$40.57 COP 132.1K

205.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 CHF 5.32

$1.42 COP 4,623

363.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$1.92 COP 6,235

120.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.3 CHF 64.1

$7.66 COP 24.9K

935.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$0.99 COP 3,223

129.29%

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

$41.2K CHF 33.3K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

128.53%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

50.27%

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

$260 CHF 210

$80.8 COP 263.1K

222.09%

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

$35.31 CHF 28.55

$9.95 COP 32.4K

254.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 CHF 42.19

$24.18 COP 78.7K

115.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 CHF 70.3

$25.08 COP 81.7K

246.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.7 CHF 45.04

$19.15 COP 62.3K

190.91%

Cinema Ticket

$24.42 CHF 19.74

$3.98 COP 13.0K

513.57%

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

$2,732 CHF 2,209

$305 COP 993.5K

795.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.8K CHF 31.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

539.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$58.1 COP 189.2K

150.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 CHF 53.3

$32.20 COP 104.8K

104.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$101 COP 327.9K

45.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$108 COP 350.8K

83.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 CHF 1,521

$477 COP 1.6M

294.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CHF 1,479

$376 COP 1.2M

386.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 CHF 2,169

$845 COP 2.7M

217.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,936 CHF 2,373

$730 COP 2.4M

301.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 12.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

389.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

820.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,977 CHF 3,215

$617 COP 2.0M

544.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

13.43

-81.38%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Dubendorf and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 545% 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: $145 in Dubendorf vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $670 vs $193 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 275% in total monthly costs ($3,866 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 545% 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: $1,882 in Dubendorf versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,866 per month in Dubendorf versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 275% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 206% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,866 in Dubendorf, a $1,500 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 275% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.