Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ascona Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ascona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $3,264 in Ascona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $5,057 in Ascona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $6,850 in Ascona.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 69% less than in Ascona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Ascona is 143% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$22.23 CHF 17.77

-73.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$167 CHF 134

-80.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$18.77 CHF 15.00

-61.48%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$4.18 CHF 3.34

-61.00%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$6.13 CHF 4.90

-82.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$5.62 CHF 4.49

-87.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$10.34 CHF 8.26

-83.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$7.35 CHF 5.87

-56.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$2.22 CHF 1.77

-52.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.89 CHF 3.11

-66.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$2.44 CHF 1.95

-45.90%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$5.51 CHF 4.40

-58.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$12.51 CHF 10.00

-65.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$16.25 CHF 12.99

-63.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$43.61 CHF 34.86

-80.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$3.78 CHF 3.02

-40.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$2.15 CHF 1.72

-50.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$2.88 CHF 2.30

-47.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$7.12 CHF 5.69

-80.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$2.35 CHF 1.88

-50.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$2.44 CHF 1.95

-52.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$2.55 CHF 2.04

-65.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.60 CHF 1.28

-43.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$10.58 CHF 8.45

-78.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$18.98 CHF 15.17

-41.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$3.97 CHF 3.17

-71.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$4.23 CHF 3.38

-43.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$3.12 CHF 2.49

-73.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$98.1 CHF 78.4

-57.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$8.73 CHF 6.98

-83.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$5.60 CHF 4.48

-66.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$86.5 CHF 69.1

-91.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$2.13 CHF 1.70

-52.58%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$39.8K CHF 31.8K

-55.79%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$42.6K CHF 34.0K

-37.76%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$298 CHF 238

-71.94%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$67.8 CHF 54.2

-86.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$59.7 CHF 47.73

-59.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$62.3 CHF 49.80

-59.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$23.68 CHF 18.93

-82.69%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$4,083 CHF 3,264

-92.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$40.9K CHF 32.7K

-85.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$109 CHF 87.3

-46.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$53.8 CHF 43.03

-39.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$152 CHF 122

-34.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$184 CHF 147

-41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,596 CHF 1,276

-69.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,447 CHF 1,156

-73.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$2,809 CHF 2,245

-70.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$2,480 CHF 1,982

-70.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ascona: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $1,596 in Ascona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $167 in Ascona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $529 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Ascona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ascona differ by about 221% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $3,264 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $4,896 in Ascona to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $1,596 in Ascona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 134% less than in Ascona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $4,083 in Ascona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $3,264 in Ascona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ascona. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ascona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 221% less than in Ascona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.