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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $3,476 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $5,340 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $7,204 in Altstätten, rent included.

Medellin is about 53% cheaper than Altstätten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Altstätten sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Altstätten by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$30.42 CHF 24.82

-73.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$123 CHF 100

-60.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$18.73 CHF 15.28

-49.71%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$6.06 CHF 4.95

-51.49%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$5.37 CHF 4.38

-65.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$4.84 CHF 3.95

-69.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$8.99 CHF 7.34

-64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$7.54 CHF 6.16

-24.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.21 CHF 1.80

-34.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.84 CHF 3.13

-37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.74 CHF 3.05

-54.55%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$7.88 CHF 6.43

-63.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$26.34 CHF 21.50

-61.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$27.99 CHF 22.84

-64.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$41.69 CHF 34.02

-65.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.51 CHF 2.86

13.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.01 CHF 1.64

-21.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.79 CHF 2.28

-22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.98 CHF 4.06

-53.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.90 CHF 1.55

5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.22 CHF 1.82

-31.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.27 CHF 1.86

-47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.32 CHF 1.08

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$11.11 CHF 9.06

-65.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$13.26 CHF 10.82

5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.74 CHF 2.23

-37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.19 CHF 2.61

-14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$4.06 CHF 3.31

-69.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$107 CHF 87.1

-26.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$8.72 CHF 7.11

-84.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$4.20 CHF 3.43

-48.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$88.8 CHF 72.5

-90.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.98 CHF 1.61

-31.31%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$46.8K CHF 38.2K

-41.35%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.3K CHF 28.0K

6.67%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$315 CHF 257

-46.37%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$30.15 CHF 24.60

-54.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$66.1 CHF 54.0

-57.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$100 CHF 82.0

-54.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$46.16 CHF 37.67

-62.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$23.47 CHF 19.15

-71.67%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$3,112 CHF 2,540

-74.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$30.6K CHF 25.0K

-70.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$135 CHF 110

-35.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$53.7 CHF 43.83

10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$174 CHF 142

-19.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$212 CHF 173

-51.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,979 CHF 1,615

-45.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,405 CHF 1,146

-53.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,965 CHF 2,419

-35.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$2,428 CHF 1,981

-56.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$14.9K CHF 12.2K

-72.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$11.1K CHF 9,031

-84.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.07

428.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,979 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $123 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $598 – 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 112%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $5,214 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $3,476 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Altstätten at $3,476. 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.