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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,999 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $4,746 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $6,493 in Aarau, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Aarau is 124% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$29.41 CHF 23.82

-79.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$108 CHF 87.1

-69.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$18.71 CHF 15.16

-60.77%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$6.23 CHF 5.05

-72.39%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$3.36 CHF 2.72

-68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$4.96 CHF 4.01

-84.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$8.04 CHF 6.51

-78.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.33 CHF 5.93

-56.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.09 CHF 1.69

-49.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.21 CHF 2.60

-59.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.51 CHF 2.03

-44.22%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$6.79 CHF 5.50

-68.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$28.96 CHF 23.46

-84.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$36.04 CHF 29.19

-83.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$44.72 CHF 36.23

-80.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.79 CHF 2.26

-18.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.10 CHF 1.70

-47.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.78 CHF 2.25

-44.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$5.89 CHF 4.77

-77.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.09 CHF 1.69

-45.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-66.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.45 CHF 1.17

-37.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$10.39 CHF 8.42

-77.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.41 CHF 8.43

18.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.32 CHF 1.88

-48.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.18 CHF 1.76

14.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$4.39 CHF 3.55

-80.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$148 CHF 120

-72.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$8.57 CHF 6.94

-83.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$5.52 CHF 4.47

-65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$88.5 CHF 71.7

-91.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-55.61%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$41.2K CHF 33.4K

-56.23%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$42.9K CHF 34.7K

-37.90%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$250 CHF 203

-67.68%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$43.25 CHF 35.03

-76.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$58.2 CHF 47.13

-58.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$67.4 CHF 54.6

-62.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$41.92 CHF 33.95

-54.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$23.86 CHF 19.32

-83.32%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$3,189 CHF 2,583

-90.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$25.2K CHF 20.4K

-75.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$92.1 CHF 74.6

-36.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$54.2 CHF 43.93

-40.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$109 CHF 88.3

-7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$172 CHF 139

-37.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,298 CHF 1,051

-63.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,058 CHF 857

-64.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,490 CHF 2,017

-66.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,075 CHF 1,680

-64.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$10.2K CHF 8,301

-68.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$12.1K CHF 9,762

-88.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$7,069 CHF 5,726

-91.27%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aarau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,298 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 1046% 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 $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $634 – 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 191% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $4,498 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 266% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $3,189 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 $1,031, than in Aarau at $2,999. 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 $1,031 versus $2,999 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.