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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,080 per month in Geneva vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,404 per month in Geneva vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,728 per month in Geneva vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Geneva costs about 296% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Geneva sits 205% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.40 CHF 29.49

$6.16 COP 20.1K

490.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 121

$32.60 COP 106.1K

359.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.14 CHF 14.69

$7.34 COP 23.9K

147.14%

Cappuccino

$5.76 CHF 4.67

$1.72 COP 5,599

234.88%

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

$5.48 CHF 4.44

$1.05 COP 3,420

421.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.87

$0.77 COP 2,515

519.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 CHF 8.14

$1.69 COP 5,487

494.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 CHF 7.10

$3.17 COP 10.3K

176.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.05 COP 3,423

108.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$1.30 COP 4,236

200.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.60

$1.40 COP 4,544

217.86%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.12

$2.16 COP 7,046

249.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.73

$4.39 COP 14.3K

511.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.39 CHF 27.04

$5.88 COP 19.1K

467.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.3 CHF 42.32

$8.64 COP 28.1K

504.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.86

$2.28 COP 7,425

54.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$1.11 COP 3,603

125.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.51

$1.53 COP 4,982

101.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.15

$1.35 COP 4,410

371.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.14

$1.13 COP 3,674

133.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$1.13 COP 3,692

104.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$0.85 COP 2,753

202.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$0.91 COP 2,975

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.82

$2.34 COP 7,629

365.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 CHF 9.78

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$1.20 COP 3,909

170.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CHF 3.04

$2.49 COP 8,104

50.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$0.84 COP 2,727

344.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.4

$40.57 COP 132.1K

111.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 CHF 5.99

$1.42 COP 4,623

421.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 CHF 2.87

$1.92 COP 6,235

84.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 CHF 52.6

$7.66 COP 24.9K

747.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$0.99 COP 3,223

121.21%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

120.49%

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

$50.2K CHF 40.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

88.60%

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

$261 CHF 211

$80.8 COP 263.1K

222.88%

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

$48.55 CHF 39.32

$9.95 COP 32.4K

387.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 CHF 52.1

$24.18 COP 78.7K

165.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 CHF 64.8

$25.08 COP 81.6K

219.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.29 CHF 30.21

$19.15 COP 62.3K

94.73%

Cinema Ticket

$24.25 CHF 19.64

$3.98 COP 13.0K

509.30%

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

$3,487 CHF 2,824

$305 COP 993.4K

1042.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

449.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$58.1 COP 189.2K

140.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 65.5

$32.20 COP 104.8K

151.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$101 COP 327.9K

64.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 CHF 174

$108 COP 350.8K

99.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 CHF 1,910

$477 COP 1.6M

394.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 CHF 1,659

$376 COP 1.2M

444.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,672 CHF 3,785

$845 COP 2.7M

453.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,893 CHF 3,153

$730 COP 2.4M

433.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.1K CHF 17.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

586.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

1087.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,277 CHF 5,894

$617 COP 2.0M

1079.75%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,358 in Geneva versus $477 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 1080% 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: $676 vs $193 – 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 296%, 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 $6,120 per month in Geneva and $1,546 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 251% 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 $1,031, than in Geneva at $4,080. 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.