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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,435 in Arbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,275 in Arbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $7,115 in Arbon, rent included.

Medellin is about 51% cheaper than Arbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Arbon sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Arbon by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$30.50 CHF 25.07

-73.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$145 CHF 119

-67.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$19.19 CHF 15.77

-48.46%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$6.21 CHF 5.11

-49.60%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$6.05 CHF 4.97

-68.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$5.17 CHF 4.25

-70.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$9.26 CHF 7.61

-66.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$6.49 CHF 5.33

-11.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.28 CHF 1.87

-36.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$3.20 CHF 2.63

-22.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$3.67 CHF 3.01

-51.77%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$7.61 CHF 6.26

-61.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$25.40 CHF 20.87

-60.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$28.81 CHF 23.68

-64.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$43.30 CHF 35.58

-66.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$3.49 CHF 2.87

18.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.03 CHF 1.67

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.45 CHF 2.01

-8.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$5.29 CHF 4.35

-57.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$2.08 CHF 1.71

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.15 CHF 1.76

-28.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$2.36 CHF 1.94

-50.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.20 CHF 0.98

9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.89 CHF 8.95

-64.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$17.15 CHF 14.10

-18.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.27 CHF 1.86

-23.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.38 CHF 1.95

20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$4.47 CHF 3.67

-72.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$93.4 CHF 76.7

-13.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$6.60 CHF 5.42

-80.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$4.79 CHF 3.94

-54.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$37.36 CHF 30.70

-76.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$2.19 CHF 1.80

-37.44%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.0K CHF 29.6K

-22.76%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$40.5K CHF 33.3K

-11.62%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$230 CHF 189

-22.77%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$39.04 CHF 32.08

-64.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$54.1 CHF 44.49

-45.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$93.9 CHF 77.2

-52.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$51.1 CHF 41.97

-66.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$23.60 CHF 19.39

-71.82%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$2,291 CHF 1,883

-64.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$33.1K CHF 27.2K

-72.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$145 CHF 119

-38.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$65.1 CHF 53.5

-9.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$150 CHF 123

-7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$185 CHF 152

-44.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,520 CHF 1,249

-30.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,499 CHF 1,232

-55.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,833 CHF 2,328

-33.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,866 CHF 2,355

-64.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$15.7K CHF 12.9K

-73.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$10.6K CHF 8,727

-84.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$11.5K CHF 9,469

-94.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.9

475.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Arbon: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,520 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 1600% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $145 in Arbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $601 – 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $3,435 in Arbon – roughly 104% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $5,152 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $3,435 in Arbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% 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 $1,681, than in Arbon at $3,435. 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $3,435 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.