Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Airolo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Airolo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $3,434 in Airolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,391 in Airolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $7,348 in Airolo, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Airolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Airolo is 156% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$30.65 CHF 24.16

-80.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$141 CHF 111

-76.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$18.38 CHF 14.49

-61.43%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$5.97 CHF 4.71

-71.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$5.25 CHF 4.14

-79.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$4.92 CHF 3.88

-84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$8.51 CHF 6.71

-80.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$7.24 CHF 5.71

-57.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-51.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.45 CHF 2.72

-63.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$4.13 CHF 3.25

-66.59%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$7.28 CHF 5.74

-69.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$28.89 CHF 22.78

-84.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$33.67 CHF 26.54

-83.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$46.75 CHF 36.86

-80.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.70 CHF 2.92

-36.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.32 CHF 1.83

-54.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.95 CHF 2.33

-49.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$6.36 CHF 5.02

-78.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.41 CHF 1.90

-52.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-50.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.54 CHF 2.00

-64.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.38 CHF 1.09

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$10.96 CHF 8.64

-79.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$12.93 CHF 10.20

-17.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.37 CHF 1.87

-49.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.30 CHF 2.60

-25.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$3.93 CHF 3.10

-78.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$99.5 CHF 78.4

-58.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$8.09 CHF 6.38

-81.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$4.35 CHF 3.43

-54.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$80.6 CHF 63.6

-90.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.15 CHF 1.69

-55.81%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$39.7K CHF 31.3K

-54.38%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$41.3K CHF 32.6K

-35.93%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$265 CHF 209

-69.00%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$48.55 CHF 38.28

-80.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$59.7 CHF 47.09

-59.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$87.2 CHF 68.7

-70.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$23.04 CHF 18.16

-82.94%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$2,857 CHF 2,253

-89.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$34.6K CHF 27.3K

-82.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$138 CHF 109

-57.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$67.8 CHF 53.4

-52.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$148 CHF 117

-30.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$191 CHF 151

-43.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,733 CHF 1,366

-72.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,451 CHF 1,144

-73.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,842 CHF 2,241

-70.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,489 CHF 1,962

-70.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$12.2K CHF 9,608

-77.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$10.3K CHF 8,087

-88.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 Airolo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,733 in Airolo. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $141 in Airolo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $657 – 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 Airolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Airolo costs about 239% 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 $5,151 in Airolo. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $3,434 in Airolo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 140% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Airolo at $3,434. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airolo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $3,434 in Airolo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Airolo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.