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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $3,526 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,310 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $7,094 in Altstätten, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Altstätten is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$31.23 CHF 24.62

-80.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$144 CHF 114

-77.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$18.53 CHF 14.61

-61.74%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$6.07 CHF 4.79

-71.83%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$5.40 CHF 4.26

-79.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$4.88 CHF 3.84

-84.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$8.18 CHF 6.45

-79.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$7.31 CHF 5.76

-58.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.19 CHF 1.72

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.50 CHF 2.76

-64.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$4.18 CHF 3.29

-66.99%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$7.61 CHF 6.00

-71.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$28.87 CHF 22.76

-84.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$33.01 CHF 26.03

-82.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$47.87 CHF 37.74

-81.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.80 CHF 2.99

-38.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.34 CHF 1.85

-54.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.88 CHF 2.27

-47.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$6.36 CHF 5.02

-78.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.46 CHF 1.94

-53.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.40 CHF 1.89

-51.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.52 CHF 1.98

-64.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.32 CHF 1.04

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$11.18 CHF 8.81

-79.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.81 CHF 10.89

-22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.38 CHF 1.88

-49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.34 CHF 2.63

-26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$3.96 CHF 3.12

-78.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$97.2 CHF 76.6

-57.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$7.75 CHF 6.11

-81.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$4.15 CHF 3.27

-52.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$81.5 CHF 64.3

-90.50%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

-54.43%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$42.1K CHF 33.2K

-37.15%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$257 CHF 203

-68.04%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$48.17 CHF 37.98

-80.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$59.0 CHF 46.55

-58.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$88.9 CHF 70.1

-70.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$22.54 CHF 17.77

-82.56%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$2,895 CHF 2,282

-89.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$34.3K CHF 27.0K

-82.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$139 CHF 109

-57.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$68.0 CHF 53.6

-52.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$150 CHF 118

-31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$188 CHF 148

-42.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,691 CHF 1,334

-71.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,489 CHF 1,174

-74.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,812 CHF 2,217

-70.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,475 CHF 1,951

-70.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

-80.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$10.2K CHF 8,071

-88.17%

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 Altstätten: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,691 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 $144 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $660 – 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 248%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $5,289 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $3,526 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 135% 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 Altstätten at $3,526. 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.