Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,060 per month in Geneva vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,383 per month in Geneva vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,707 per month in Geneva vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Geneva costs about 301% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Geneva sits 203% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.68 CHF 29.74

$5.99 COP 21.3K

529.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$32.86 COP 116.9K

356.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.64 CHF 14.71

$7.09 COP 25.2K

162.91%

Cappuccino

$5.97 CHF 4.71

$1.71 COP 6,093

249.12%

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

$5.49 CHF 4.33

$1.10 COP 3,910

399.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.88

$0.78 COP 2,771

530.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.13 CHF 7.99

$1.68 COP 5,976

502.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 6.74

$3.07 COP 10.9K

178.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.09 COP 3,892

107.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.06

$1.26 COP 4,492

207.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CHF 3.50

$1.38 COP 4,905

221.74%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.01

$2.19 COP 7,799

247.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.53 CHF 20.94

$4.40 COP 15.7K

502.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.26 CHF 26.25

$5.63 COP 20.0K

490.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 41.49

$8.89 COP 31.6K

491.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.76

$2.34 COP 8,319

49.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$1.06 COP 3,764

137.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.42

$1.50 COP 5,355

104.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 CHF 4.94

$1.38 COP 4,906

353.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$1.15 COP 4,097

131.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$1.16 COP 4,141

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.03

$0.89 COP 3,170

188.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$0.84 COP 2,986

61.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.60

$2.28 COP 8,116

378.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 CHF 10.14

$10.64 COP 37.9K

20.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$1.20 COP 4,268

171.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$2.47 COP 8,793

46.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$0.86 COP 3,045

318.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CHF 67.5

$41.40 COP 147.3K

106.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.95

$1.47 COP 5,245

412.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$1.96 COP 6,984

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 CHF 51.7

$7.74 COP 27.5K

747.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$0.95 COP 3,397

134.74%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

126.26%

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

$48.7K CHF 38.5K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

84.04%

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

$262 CHF 207

$82.3 COP 292.7K

218.46%

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

$47.82 CHF 37.74

$9.50 COP 33.8K

403.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CHF 49.92

$24.23 COP 86.2K

161.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 CHF 62.8

$25.89 COP 92.1K

207.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.97 CHF 28.39

$19.00 COP 67.6K

89.32%

Cinema Ticket

$24.48 CHF 19.32

$3.93 COP 14.0K

522.90%

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

$3,514 CHF 2,773

$309 COP 1.1M

1035.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.7K CHF 25.8K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

447.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$58.7 COP 208.7K

135.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 64.5

$32.35 COP 115.1K

152.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 128

$103 COP 365.1K

57.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 169

$108 COP 385.8K

97.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 CHF 1,838

$476 COP 1.7M

389.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 CHF 1,617

$379 COP 1.3M

440.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,631 CHF 3,655

$838 COP 3.0M

452.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,922 CHF 3,095

$724 COP 2.6M

441.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K CHF 18.2K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

727.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

1250.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,858 CHF 6,202

$512 COP 1.8M

1435.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

13.43

-81.68%

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

Last update for Geneva: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,329 in Geneva versus $476 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 1435% higher in Geneva, 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 $150 in Geneva versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $678 vs $188 – 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

Geneva vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 301%, 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 $6,090 per month in Geneva and $1,519 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.

Groceries cost about 260% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $150 in Geneva and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Geneva at $4,060. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Geneva 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, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.