Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balzers Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balzers

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,293 in Balzers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $5,044 in Balzers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $6,795 in Balzers.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Balzers is 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$30.54 CHF 24.16

-80.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$123 CHF 97.7

-73.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$22.09 CHF 17.47

-67.90%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.64 CHF 4.46

-69.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$6.20 CHF 4.91

-82.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$5.68 CHF 4.50

-86.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$7.54 CHF 5.97

-77.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$7.43 CHF 5.88

-58.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.68 CHF 2.12

-59.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.11 CHF 2.46

-59.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.90 CHF 2.29

-52.41%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$11.92 CHF 9.43

-81.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$25.58 CHF 20.23

-82.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$23.63 CHF 18.70

-76.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$51.8 CHF 41.00

-82.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.39 CHF 2.68

-30.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$3.81 CHF 3.01

-72.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.98 CHF 3.15

-62.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.57 CHF 2.03

-46.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-52.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.11 CHF 1.67

-45.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-59.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.63 CHF 1.29

-48.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$12.45 CHF 9.85

-81.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$14.26 CHF 11.28

-25.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.06 CHF 1.63

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.82 CHF 1.44

35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$3.56 CHF 2.82

-75.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$84.6 CHF 67.0

-51.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.82 CHF 1.44

-19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.60 CHF 6.80

-10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-56.62%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$34.5K CHF 27.3K

-47.41%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$33.8K CHF 26.8K

-21.72%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$217 CHF 172

-62.08%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$39.34 CHF 31.12

-75.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$74.5 CHF 58.9

-67.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$94.7 CHF 74.9

-72.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$24.35 CHF 19.26

-21.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$24.22 CHF 19.16

-83.77%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$313 CHF 248

-1.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,918 CHF 7,055

-33.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$129 CHF 102

-54.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$52.1 CHF 41.20

-37.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$177 CHF 140

-42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$225 CHF 178

-51.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,005 CHF 795

-52.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,335 CHF 1,056

-71.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,931 CHF 2,319

-71.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,370 CHF 1,875

-69.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$17.6K CHF 13.9K

-84.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$5,368 CHF 4,246

-77.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$9,082 CHF 7,185

-94.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.55

77.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Balzers: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,005 in Balzers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balzers pays 1675% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $123 in Balzers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $618 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 Balzers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 225% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Balzers earns 1675% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $1,005 in Balzers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 228% higher in Balzers. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $123 in Balzers. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,293 in Balzers, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Balzers. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Balzers, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Balzers 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 225% less than in Balzers. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.