Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $3,361 in Arbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $5,221 in Arbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $7,082 in Arbon, rent included.

Medellin is about 69% cheaper than Arbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Arbon is 152% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$30.53 CHF 24.73

-79.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$139 CHF 113

-76.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$17.34 CHF 14.05

-57.67%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$6.16 CHF 4.99

-72.08%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$5.35 CHF 4.33

-80.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$4.35 CHF 3.53

-82.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.72 CHF 6.25

-78.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.19 CHF 5.83

-55.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-53.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-49.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.63 CHF 2.94

-61.43%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$7.91 CHF 6.41

-72.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$27.75 CHF 22.47

-84.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$32.72 CHF 26.50

-82.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$41.18 CHF 33.36

-79.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.19 CHF 2.58

-28.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.83 CHF 1.48

-39.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.49 CHF 2.02

-38.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$6.36 CHF 5.15

-78.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-54.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-52.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.58 CHF 2.09

-67.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.15 CHF 0.93

-20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$10.80 CHF 8.75

-78.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.17 CHF 9.05

10.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.33 CHF 1.88

6.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-78.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$97.0 CHF 78.6

-58.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.71 CHF 5.43

-78.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$4.24 CHF 3.43

-54.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$78.8 CHF 63.9

-90.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.17 CHF 1.76

-54.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

-54.64%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$42.9K CHF 34.8K

-37.99%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$251 CHF 203

-67.77%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$59.3 CHF 48.06

-83.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$54.0 CHF 43.76

-55.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$89.4 CHF 72.4

-71.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$22.30 CHF 18.07

-82.15%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$2,789 CHF 2,259

-89.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$42.8K CHF 34.7K

-85.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$137 CHF 111

-57.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$64.4 CHF 52.2

-50.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$131 CHF 106

-22.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$161 CHF 130

-33.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,702 CHF 1,379

-72.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,445 CHF 1,171

-73.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,874 CHF 2,328

-70.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,437 CHF 1,974

-70.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

-78.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$10.6K CHF 8,603

-87.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$11.3K CHF 9,167

-94.55%

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 Arbon: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,702 in Arbon. 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 1735% higher in Arbon, 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 $139 in Arbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $608 – 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 Arbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $3,361 in Arbon – roughly 226% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $5,041 in Arbon. 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 $3,361 in Arbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 139% 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 Arbon at $3,361. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $3,361 in Arbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Arbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.