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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,810 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,602 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,394 in Aarau, rent included.

Medellin is about 40% cheaper than Aarau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Aarau sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Aarau by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$29.46 CHF 24.31

-72.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$107 CHF 88.0

-55.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$18.30 CHF 15.11

-45.96%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.82 CHF 4.80

-46.22%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$5.26 CHF 4.34

-63.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$4.81 CHF 3.97

-68.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.98 CHF 4.93

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.84 CHF 5.65

-15.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.08 CHF 1.71

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.74 CHF 3.08

-33.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.70 CHF 2.23

-34.44%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$7.50 CHF 6.19

-60.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$30.99 CHF 25.58

-67.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$29.82 CHF 24.62

-66.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$42.05 CHF 34.71

-65.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.95 CHF 2.43

40.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.73 CHF 1.43

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.43 CHF 2.01

-7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$5.87 CHF 4.84

-61.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.74 CHF 1.44

17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.05 CHF 1.69

-24.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-46.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.19 CHF 0.98

10.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$11.04 CHF 9.11

-64.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.49 CHF 8.66

33.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.60 CHF 2.15

-33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.96 CHF 2.44

-3.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$5.22 CHF 4.31

-76.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$148 CHF 122

-45.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$7.18 CHF 5.92

-81.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.45 CHF 2.85

-36.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$62.4 CHF 51.5

-86.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.25 CHF 1.86

-39.11%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$42.6K CHF 35.2K

-34.66%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$39.2K CHF 32.4K

-8.73%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$124 CHF 102

42.88%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$32.04 CHF 26.45

-56.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$57.7 CHF 47.58

-48.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$99.4 CHF 82.0

-54.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$61.3 CHF 50.6

-72.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$21.82 CHF 18.01

-69.52%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$3,184 CHF 2,628

-74.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$25.3K CHF 20.9K

-63.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$90.5 CHF 74.7

-1.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$74.8 CHF 61.7

-21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$108 CHF 89.3

27.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$174 CHF 144

-41.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,297 CHF 1,070

-18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,060 CHF 875

-37.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,331 CHF 1,924

-19.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,114 CHF 1,745

-51.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$10.1K CHF 8,357

-58.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

-86.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$6,890 CHF 5,687

-90.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.31

373.59%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Aarau: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,297 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 917% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $107 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $604 – 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 67% 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $4,215 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 84% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $3,184 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Aarau at $2,810. 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 $1,681 versus $2,810 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.