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: $3,974 in Dubendorf versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,958 in Dubendorf versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,942 in Dubendorf versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 292% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dubendorf is 197% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.79 CHF 24.36

$5.99 COP 21.4K

414.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 119

$32.86 COP 117.2K

357.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.42 CHF 14.57

$7.09 COP 25.3K

159.80%

Cappuccino

$6.38 CHF 5.05

$1.71 COP 6,105

273.10%

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

$5.85 CHF 4.63

$1.10 COP 3,918

431.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.27

$0.78 COP 2,776

592.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 CHF 5.87

$1.68 COP 5,987

341.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 CHF 5.53

$3.07 COP 10.9K

127.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.09 COP 3,899

97.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.58

$1.26 COP 4,500

158.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.23

$1.38 COP 4,914

195.65%

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.74

$2.19 COP 7,813

231.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.29 CHF 23.17

$4.40 COP 15.7K

565.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.91 CHF 25.24

$5.63 COP 20.1K

466.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.09 CHF 38.84

$8.89 COP 31.7K

452.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.51

$2.34 COP 8,334

35.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.22

$1.06 COP 3,771

165.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.44

$1.50 COP 5,365

106.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 CHF 5.61

$1.38 COP 4,915

413.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 CHF 2.20

$1.15 COP 4,104

141.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$1.16 COP 4,148

95.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.02

$0.89 COP 3,176

186.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CHF 1.37

$0.84 COP 2,992

105.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.71

$2.28 COP 8,131

382.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 CHF 12.27

$10.64 COP 37.9K

45.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$1.20 COP 4,276

86.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 CHF 2.33

$2.47 COP 8,809

19.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.71 CHF 6.10

$0.86 COP 3,051

796.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 CHF 97.5

$41.40 COP 147.6K

197.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$1.47 COP 5,255

367.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 CHF 3.36

$1.96 COP 6,997

116.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.7 CHF 63.1

$7.74 COP 27.6K

930.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$0.95 COP 3,403

143.16%

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

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

118.47%

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

$40.2K CHF 31.8K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

51.71%

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

$260 CHF 206

$82.3 COP 293.2K

216.68%

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

$35.53 CHF 28.11

$9.50 COP 33.9K

274.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 CHF 41.70

$24.23 COP 86.4K

117.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.4 CHF 69.1

$25.89 COP 92.3K

237.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.8 CHF 44.11

$19.00 COP 67.7K

193.42%

Cinema Ticket

$25.12 CHF 19.87

$3.93 COP 14.0K

539.19%

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

$2,686 CHF 2,125

$309 COP 1.1M

768.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

564.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 116

$58.7 COP 209.1K

150.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 CHF 51.0

$32.35 COP 115.3K

99.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 117

$103 COP 365.7K

43.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 160

$108 COP 386.5K

86.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CHF 1,467

$476 COP 1.7M

289.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CHF 1,472

$379 COP 1.4M

391.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,681 CHF 2,121

$838 COP 3.0M

219.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,917 CHF 2,307

$724 COP 2.6M

302.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

403.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.0K CHF 7,912

$1,211 COP 4.3M

725.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,069 CHF 3,219

$512 COP 1.8M

695.05%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,855 in Dubendorf and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 695% 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: $150 in Dubendorf vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $667 vs $188 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 292% in total monthly costs ($3,974 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dubendorf pays 695% more on average, 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: $1,855 in Dubendorf versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,974 per month in Dubendorf versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 292% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 198% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,974 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 292% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.