Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baden Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baden

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $4,107 in Baden, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $6,105 in Baden, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $8,103 in Baden, rent included.

Medellin is about 75% cheaper than Baden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Baden is 207% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$37.31 CHF 29.47

-84.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$141 CHF 111

-76.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$18.80 CHF 14.85

-61.70%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$6.46 CHF 5.11

-73.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$5.17 CHF 4.09

-78.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$4.57 CHF 3.61

-84.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$8.84 CHF 6.98

-81.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$7.88 CHF 6.22

-60.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$2.17 CHF 1.71

-51.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$3.33 CHF 2.63

-62.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$4.13 CHF 3.27

-66.34%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$7.72 CHF 6.10

-70.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$29.57 CHF 23.36

-85.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$35.18 CHF 27.79

-83.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$50.5 CHF 39.91

-82.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$3.80 CHF 3.01

-41.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$2.93 CHF 2.31

-63.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$2.99 CHF 2.36

-48.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$6.40 CHF 5.06

-78.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$2.74 CHF 2.17

-58.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$2.28 CHF 1.80

-50.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-66.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$1.26 CHF 1.00

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$10.91 CHF 8.62

-78.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$14.19 CHF 11.21

-21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$2.48 CHF 1.96

-52.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$3.25 CHF 2.57

-27.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$5.84 CHF 4.61

-86.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$133 CHF 105

-69.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$7.83 CHF 6.19

-81.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$4.56 CHF 3.60

-58.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$89.4 CHF 70.7

-91.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-56.48%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$40.4K CHF 31.9K

-55.59%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$38.8K CHF 30.7K

-30.99%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$252 CHF 199

-66.66%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$63.4 CHF 50.1

-84.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$59.3 CHF 46.83

-59.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$374 CHF 295

-93.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$48.32 CHF 38.17

-60.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$23.24 CHF 18.36

-83.13%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$3,360 CHF 2,654

-90.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$39.4K CHF 31.1K

-84.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$137 CHF 108

-57.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$78.4 CHF 61.9

-59.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$149 CHF 118

-33.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$158 CHF 125

-32.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$2,041 CHF 1,612

-76.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,747 CHF 1,380

-78.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$3,432 CHF 2,711

-75.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,493 CHF 1,970

-71.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$17.5K CHF 13.8K

-83.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

-89.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$9,047 CHF 7,147

-93.97%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Baden: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $2,041 in Baden. 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 1559% higher in Baden, 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 $141 in Baden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $684 – 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 Baden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Baden is pricier by about 297%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $6,160 in Baden. 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.

Groceries cost about 261% more in Baden, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $141 in Baden. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Baden at $4,107. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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