Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Altstätten Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Altstätten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $3,519 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $5,382 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $7,245 in Altstätten, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Altstätten is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$30.29 CHF 24.53

-79.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$143 CHF 116

-77.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$18.49 CHF 14.98

-60.30%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$6.01 CHF 4.87

-71.38%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$5.36 CHF 4.35

-80.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$4.74 CHF 3.84

-83.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$8.42 CHF 6.82

-79.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.45 CHF 6.04

-57.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.15 CHF 1.74

-51.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.50 CHF 2.83

-62.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.06 CHF 3.29

-65.52%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$7.56 CHF 6.13

-71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$28.70 CHF 23.25

-84.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$34.14 CHF 27.65

-82.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$48.05 CHF 38.92

-82.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.78 CHF 3.06

-39.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.30 CHF 1.87

-51.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.92 CHF 2.36

-47.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$6.15 CHF 4.98

-78.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.54 CHF 2.06

-55.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-53.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.53 CHF 2.05

-66.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.32 CHF 1.07

-31.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$11.24 CHF 9.11

-79.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.09 CHF 10.60

-5.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-50.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.30 CHF 2.67

-24.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.82 CHF 3.09

-78.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$98.9 CHF 80.1

-58.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$7.77 CHF 6.29

-81.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$4.11 CHF 3.33

-53.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$81.2 CHF 65.7

-90.56%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

-54.59%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$41.3K CHF 33.4K

-35.47%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$262 CHF 212

-69.11%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$49.27 CHF 39.90

-79.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$59.5 CHF 48.23

-59.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$89.1 CHF 72.1

-71.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$22.57 CHF 18.28

-82.37%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$2,867 CHF 2,322

-89.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$34.1K CHF 27.6K

-82.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$138 CHF 112

-57.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$67.6 CHF 54.8

-52.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$145 CHF 118

-30.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$184 CHF 149

-41.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,689 CHF 1,368

-71.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,472 CHF 1,192

-74.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,877 CHF 2,330

-70.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,434 CHF 1,972

-69.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$15.7K CHF 12.8K

-79.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$12.7K CHF 10.3K

-89.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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 Altstätten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,689 in Altstätten. 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 $143 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $662 – 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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 241%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $5,279 in Altstätten. 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $3,519 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 144% 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 $1,031, than in Altstätten at $3,519. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten 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, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.