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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $4,198 in Baden, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $6,135 in Baden, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $8,072 in Baden, rent included.

Medellin is about 76% cheaper than Baden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Baden is 212% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$36.87 CHF 29.27

-83.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$139 CHF 111

-76.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$18.27 CHF 14.50

-60.43%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$6.44 CHF 5.11

-74.69%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$5.39 CHF 4.28

-79.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$4.43 CHF 3.52

-83.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$8.56 CHF 6.80

-79.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$8.03 CHF 6.37

-59.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.25 CHF 1.79

-53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.42 CHF 2.71

-62.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.94 CHF 3.13

-66.50%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$7.83 CHF 6.21

-71.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$29.66 CHF 23.55

-85.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$35.03 CHF 27.81

-83.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$49.41 CHF 39.23

-82.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.64 CHF 2.89

-38.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.90 CHF 2.30

-63.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.89 CHF 2.29

-47.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$6.43 CHF 5.10

-77.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.82 CHF 2.24

-58.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.38 CHF 1.89

-50.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.55 CHF 2.03

-65.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.28 CHF 1.02

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$11.29 CHF 8.96

-80.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$13.53 CHF 10.74

-18.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.47 CHF 1.96

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.36 CHF 2.67

-29.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$5.62 CHF 4.46

-85.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$134 CHF 107

-68.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$7.51 CHF 5.96

-81.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$4.48 CHF 3.56

-57.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$89.3 CHF 70.9

-91.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.16 CHF 1.72

-53.24%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$40.8K CHF 32.4K

-56.96%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$39.7K CHF 31.5K

-33.26%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$256 CHF 203

-67.26%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$61.9 CHF 49.10

-84.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$59.4 CHF 47.15

-59.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$376 CHF 298

-93.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$48.75 CHF 38.70

-60.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$22.97 CHF 18.23

-82.15%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$3,466 CHF 2,751

-91.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$38.7K CHF 30.8K

-84.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$137 CHF 109

-57.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$77.5 CHF 61.5

-57.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$150 CHF 119

-33.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$162 CHF 129

-33.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$2,059 CHF 1,635

-76.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,789 CHF 1,421

-78.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$3,408 CHF 2,706

-75.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$2,494 CHF 1,980

-71.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$17.9K CHF 14.2K

-84.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$13.8K CHF 11.0K

-91.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$9,083 CHF 7,211

-94.05%

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 Baden: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $2,059 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 1579% 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 $139 in Baden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $680 – 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 313%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $6,297 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 259% 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 $139 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 $1,017, than in Baden at $4,198. 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.