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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $3,337 in Ascona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $5,100 in Ascona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $6,864 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 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$22.27 CHF 18.21

-73.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$169 CHF 138

-80.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$18.93 CHF 15.48

-62.39%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$4.43 CHF 3.63

-61.40%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$6.20 CHF 5.07

-83.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$5.38 CHF 4.40

-86.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$10.64 CHF 8.70

-83.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$7.26 CHF 5.93

-56.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$2.18 CHF 1.79

-51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$4.04 CHF 3.30

-67.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$2.44 CHF 1.99

-45.49%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$5.35 CHF 4.37

-57.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$12.54 CHF 10.26

-64.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$16.31 CHF 13.33

-63.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$44.76 CHF 36.60

-80.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$3.71 CHF 3.03

-36.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$2.16 CHF 1.76

-49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$2.73 CHF 2.23

-46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$7.21 CHF 5.90

-80.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$2.30 CHF 1.88

-49.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$2.51 CHF 2.06

-53.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$2.63 CHF 2.15

-65.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$1.64 CHF 1.34

-48.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$10.39 CHF 8.49

-77.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$18.69 CHF 15.28

-36.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$3.94 CHF 3.23

-70.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$4.24 CHF 3.47

-42.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$3.19 CHF 2.61

-73.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$96.8 CHF 79.1

-57.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$8.40 CHF 6.86

-83.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$5.66 CHF 4.63

-66.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$87.1 CHF 71.3

-91.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$2.18 CHF 1.78

-56.88%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$41.0K CHF 33.5K

-56.57%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$42.1K CHF 34.4K

-35.60%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$290 CHF 237

-71.26%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$68.4 CHF 55.9

-85.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$59.3 CHF 48.51

-59.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$61.5 CHF 50.3

-58.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$23.32 CHF 19.07

-82.55%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$4,042 CHF 3,305

-92.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$40.8K CHF 33.4K

-85.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$108 CHF 88.4

-44.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$53.1 CHF 43.38

-38.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$156 CHF 127

-35.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$190 CHF 155

-43.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$1,608 CHF 1,315

-70.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$1,475 CHF 1,206

-74.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$2,847 CHF 2,328

-71.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$2,473 CHF 2,022

-71.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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 20, 2026

Last update for Ascona: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,608 in Ascona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $169 in Ascona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $533 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 228% in total monthly costs ($1,018 vs $3,337 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,527 in Medellin and $5,006 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: $476 in Medellin versus $1,608 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 137% less than in Ascona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Medellin versus $4,042 in Ascona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $3,337 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 228% less than in Ascona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.