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: $1,030 in Medellin versus $3,253 in Ascona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $5,047 in Ascona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $6,841 in Ascona.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 68% less than in Ascona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Ascona is 143% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$22.62 CHF 17.73

-73.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$167 CHF 131

-80.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$18.90 CHF 14.82

-61.64%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$4.25 CHF 3.33

-59.76%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$5.92 CHF 4.64

-81.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$5.40 CHF 4.23

-85.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$10.66 CHF 8.36

-83.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$7.21 CHF 5.65

-55.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$2.18 CHF 1.71

-51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$4.03 CHF 3.16

-67.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$2.39 CHF 1.87

-42.26%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$5.51 CHF 4.32

-59.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$12.50 CHF 9.80

-63.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$16.15 CHF 12.66

-64.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$43.46 CHF 34.07

-79.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.80 CHF 2.98

-39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.05 CHF 1.61

-48.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$2.87 CHF 2.25

-47.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$7.05 CHF 5.53

-80.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.33 CHF 1.83

-50.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.46 CHF 1.93

-52.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$2.53 CHF 1.99

-67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.63 CHF 1.27

-47.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$10.32 CHF 8.09

-77.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$18.85 CHF 14.78

-41.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$4.10 CHF 3.22

-71.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$4.43 CHF 3.48

-44.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$3.28 CHF 2.57

-75.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$98.8 CHF 77.5

-57.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$8.67 CHF 6.80

-83.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$5.44 CHF 4.27

-65.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$87.0 CHF 68.2

-91.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$2.19 CHF 1.72

-52.97%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

-56.69%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$41.5K CHF 32.5K

-34.88%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$292 CHF 229

-72.14%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$66.8 CHF 52.4

-85.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$60.2 CHF 47.16

-60.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$62.6 CHF 49.05

-58.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$23.02 CHF 18.05

-82.41%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$4,078 CHF 3,197

-92.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$40.3K CHF 31.6K

-84.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$109 CHF 85.8

-46.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$54.7 CHF 42.86

-39.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$157 CHF 123

-36.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$189 CHF 148

-43.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$1,602 CHF 1,256

-69.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$1,453 CHF 1,140

-74.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,836 CHF 2,224

-70.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$2,444 CHF 1,916

-70.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ascona: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $1,602 in Ascona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 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 216% in total monthly costs ($1,030 vs $3,253 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,544 in Medellin and $4,879 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: $490 in Medellin versus $1,602 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 136% 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 $4,078 in Ascona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $3,253 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 216% less than in Ascona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.