Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aarau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aarau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,962 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $4,722 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $6,482 in Aarau, rent included.

Medellin is about 66% cheaper than Aarau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Aarau is 121% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$30.10 CHF 23.81

-80.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$106 CHF 83.9

-69.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$19.44 CHF 15.38

-63.53%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$6.35 CHF 5.02

-73.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$3.34 CHF 2.64

-67.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$4.83 CHF 3.82

-83.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$8.16 CHF 6.45

-79.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$7.32 CHF 5.79

-58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.17 CHF 1.71

-49.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.34 CHF 2.64

-62.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-45.67%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$7.00 CHF 5.54

-68.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$28.84 CHF 22.81

-84.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$36.39 CHF 28.79

-84.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$43.90 CHF 34.73

-79.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.80 CHF 2.21

-16.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.13 CHF 1.69

-50.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.81 CHF 2.23

-46.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$5.67 CHF 4.49

-75.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-49.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.05 CHF 1.62

-43.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-64.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.52 CHF 1.20

-44.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$10.41 CHF 8.23

-78.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.64 CHF 8.42

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-46.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.20 CHF 1.74

12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$4.19 CHF 3.31

-79.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$149 CHF 118

-72.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$8.66 CHF 6.85

-83.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$5.60 CHF 4.43

-65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$87.4 CHF 69.1

-91.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-56.82%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.8K CHF 31.5K

-54.43%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$41.5K CHF 32.8K

-36.19%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$251 CHF 198

-67.18%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$42.50 CHF 33.63

-77.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$59.9 CHF 47.36

-59.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$66.3 CHF 52.5

-60.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$41.53 CHF 32.85

-54.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$22.96 CHF 18.16

-82.88%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$3,147 CHF 2,490

-90.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$25.0K CHF 19.8K

-76.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$92.7 CHF 73.4

-36.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$53.1 CHF 41.99

-39.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$113 CHF 89.2

-9.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$172 CHF 136

-37.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,310 CHF 1,037

-63.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,029 CHF 814

-63.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,440 CHF 1,930

-65.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,082 CHF 1,647

-65.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$10.6K CHF 8,359

-73.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$12.6K CHF 9,944

-90.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$7,301 CHF 5,776

-92.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.5

437.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aarau: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,310 in Aarau. 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 1327% higher in Aarau, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $106 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $636 – 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

Medellin vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarau costs about 192% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $4,443 in Aarau. 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 260% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $3,147 in Aarau. 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 $1,013, than in Aarau at $2,962. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $2,962 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.