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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,202 per month in Geneva vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,374 per month in Geneva vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,546 per month in Geneva vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Geneva costs about 156% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geneva and Medellin sit above the global median – Geneva by 205%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.87 CHF 25.19

$8.04 COP 24.8K

283.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$136 CHF 111

$48.29 COP 148.6K

181.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.85 CHF 15.38

$9.42 COP 29.0K

100.11%

Cappuccino

$6.65 CHF 5.43

$2.94 COP 9,040

126.19%

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

$5.00 CHF 4.08

$1.86 COP 5,735

168.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 CHF 3.41

$1.46 COP 4,479

185.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CHF 8.18

$3.21 COP 9,882

212.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.77 CHF 7.97

$5.71 COP 17.6K

71.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CHF 1.94

$1.44 COP 4,428

65.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 CHF 2.85

$2.40 COP 7,389

45.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.66

$1.70 COP 5,228

91.76%

Eggs

$8.25 CHF 6.74

$2.89 COP 8,896

185.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.28 CHF 20.63

$10.06 COP 30.9K

151.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.09 CHF 24.56

$9.97 COP 30.7K

201.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.71 CHF 35.67

$14.20 COP 43.7K

207.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.93

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.37

$1.58 COP 4,878

6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.23

$2.15 COP 6,624

26.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.93

$2.30 COP 7,078

109.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 CHF 1.29

$2.00 COP 6,169

-20.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$1.51 COP 4,646

41.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$1.20 COP 3,701

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.39

$1.28 COP 3,946

32.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 CHF 9.20

$3.84 COP 11.8K

193.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.95

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.67

$1.71 COP 5,256

91.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CHF 2.92

$2.74 COP 8,440

30.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$1.25 COP 3,834

195.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.8 CHF 74.1

$77.9 COP 239.7K

16.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 CHF 6.39

$1.31 COP 4,016

497.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.91 CHF 3.19

$2.17 COP 6,680

80.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.7 CHF 53.6

$8.29 COP 25.5K

692.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 CHF 1.95

$1.36 COP 4,172

75.00%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.9K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

42.45%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.8K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

9.85%

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

$287 CHF 234

$169 COP 519.2K

69.90%

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

$39.09 CHF 31.91

$13.57 COP 41.8K

188.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.39

$28.32 COP 87.2K

105.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 CHF 62.2

$45.71 COP 140.7K

66.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.89 CHF 38.26

$17.22 COP 53.0K

172.30%

Cinema Ticket

$24.65 CHF 20.12

$6.65 COP 20.5K

270.68%

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

$2,449 CHF 1,999

$803 COP 2.5M

204.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.8K CHF 30.0K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

300.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 111

$87.4 COP 268.8K

56.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.8 CHF 66.7

$59.4 COP 182.7K

37.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$169 CHF 138

$139 COP 427.5K

21.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 154

$102 COP 314.0K

85.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 CHF 2,320

$1,071 COP 3.3M

165.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 CHF 1,749

$653 COP 2.0M

228.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,690 CHF 3,827

$1,925 COP 5.9M

143.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,651 CHF 2,979

$1,048 COP 3.2M

248.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.3K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

445.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.0K CHF 13.0K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

839.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,229 CHF 5,900

$655 COP 2.0M

1003.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

10.94

-81.90%

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

Last update for Geneva: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,843 in Geneva versus $1,071 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 1004% 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 $136 in Geneva versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $611 vs $300 – 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 156%, 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 $6,303 per month in Geneva and $2,462 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 103% 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 $136 in Geneva and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Geneva at $4,202. 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.