Cost of Living Comparison Between Glarus and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Glarus and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,263 per month in Glarus vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,188 per month in Glarus vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,114 per month in Glarus vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Glarus costs about 221% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Glarus sits 143% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.24 CHF 24.00

$5.95 COP 20.8K

408.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 CHF 111

$33.33 COP 116.3K

320.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.13 CHF 12.80

$7.23 COP 25.2K

123.10%

Cappuccino

$5.75 CHF 4.57

$1.63 COP 5,687

252.76%

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

$5.35 CHF 4.25

$1.09 COP 3,821

390.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 CHF 3.48

$0.73 COP 2,548

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 CHF 6.02

$1.74 COP 6,065

335.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CHF 5.79

$3.23 COP 11.3K

126.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 CHF 1.52

$1.05 COP 3,662

81.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CHF 2.20

$1.29 COP 4,515

114.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 CHF 1.81

$1.32 COP 4,617

72.73%

Eggs

$7.67 CHF 6.09

$2.27 COP 7,927

237.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.10 CHF 24.69

$4.35 COP 15.2K

614.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.83 CHF 27.65

$5.88 COP 20.5K

492.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.5 CHF 40.84

$8.61 COP 30.0K

497.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.90

$2.25 COP 7,844

62.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.07 COP 3,733

109.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.35

$1.52 COP 5,322

94.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.34 CHF 5.03

$1.42 COP 4,964

346.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$1.17 COP 4,084

105.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.90

$1.17 COP 4,077

104.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CHF 2.15

$0.89 COP 3,096

203.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 0.98

$0.90 COP 3,146

37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 CHF 8.70

$2.25 COP 7,837

386.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 CHF 10.99

$11.04 COP 38.5K

25.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.94

$1.14 COP 3,977

114.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 CHF 2.67

$2.38 COP 8,301

41.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.10 CHF 4.84

$0.84 COP 2,916

626.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CHF 89.5

$41.95 COP 146.4K

168.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 CHF 6.61

$1.41 COP 4,912

490.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.37

$1.90 COP 6,634

123.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 70.2

$7.75 COP 27.0K

1041.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 CHF 1.62

$1.01 COP 3,509

101.98%

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

$35.5K CHF 28.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

101.88%

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

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

46.88%

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

$223 CHF 177

$83.7 COP 292.1K

166.81%

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

$73.8 CHF 58.6

$9.45 COP 33.0K

681.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.58 CHF 38.57

$24.11 COP 84.1K

101.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 CHF 72.2

$25.31 COP 88.3K

259.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.40 CHF 34.46

$19.14 COP 66.8K

126.75%

Cinema Ticket

$20.57 CHF 16.33

$4.10 COP 14.3K

401.71%

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

$2,916 CHF 2,315

$312 COP 1.1M

834.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.9K CHF 34.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

616.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 110

$58.0 COP 202.6K

137.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 CHF 60.9

$32.56 COP 113.6K

135.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 CHF 105

$99.6 COP 347.7K

32.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 CHF 127

$109 COP 378.8K

47.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 CHF 1,292

$482 COP 1.7M

237.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 CHF 1,044

$379 COP 1.3M

246.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,861 CHF 2,272

$837 COP 2.9M

241.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,357 CHF 1,871

$723 COP 2.5M

225.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.0K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

476.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K CHF 9,341

$1,223 COP 4.3M

861.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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 Glarus: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Glarus versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $140 in Glarus versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $668 vs $190 – 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

Glarus vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Glarus is pricier by about 221%, 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 $4,894 per month in Glarus and $1,525 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.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,916 per month in Glarus and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Glarus at $3,263. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glarus 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, Glarus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.