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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,287 in Balzers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $5,093 in Balzers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $6,900 in Balzers.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 49% less than in Balzers, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Balzers 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$30.11 CHF 24.84

-73.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$124 CHF 102

-61.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$21.87 CHF 18.04

-54.78%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$5.66 CHF 4.67

-44.70%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$6.20 CHF 5.12

-69.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$5.47 CHF 4.51

-72.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$7.43 CHF 6.13

-58.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$7.54 CHF 6.22

-23.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.65 CHF 2.19

-45.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$3.08 CHF 2.54

-19.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.73 CHF 2.25

-35.16%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$12.02 CHF 9.92

-75.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$25.61 CHF 21.13

-60.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$23.60 CHF 19.47

-57.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$50.2 CHF 41.44

-71.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.42 CHF 2.82

21.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$3.71 CHF 3.06

-56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$4.11 CHF 3.39

-45.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.54 CHF 2.10

-11.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.47 CHF 2.04

-17.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.09 CHF 1.73

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$2.08 CHF 1.71

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.68 CHF 1.39

-22.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$12.03 CHF 9.92

-67.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$13.85 CHF 11.43

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.98 CHF 1.63

-12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.78 CHF 1.47

61.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$3.41 CHF 2.81

-64.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$84.7 CHF 69.9

-4.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.75 CHF 1.44

-25.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$6.00 CHF 4.95

-63.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$8.57 CHF 7.07

1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$2.20 CHF 1.82

-37.73%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$34.3K CHF 28.3K

-18.89%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$33.6K CHF 27.7K

6.45%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$216 CHF 179

-18.07%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$40.37 CHF 33.30

-65.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$74.2 CHF 61.2

-59.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$92.0 CHF 75.9

-51.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$24.81 CHF 20.47

-31.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$24.43 CHF 20.16

-72.78%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$301 CHF 249

169.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$8,905 CHF 7,346

3.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$129 CHF 106

-30.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$51.4 CHF 42.41

14.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$175 CHF 144

-20.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$228 CHF 188

-55.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,003 CHF 827

5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,290 CHF 1,064

-48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,885 CHF 2,380

-34.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,357 CHF 1,944

-56.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$17.0K CHF 14.0K

-75.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$5,229 CHF 4,314

-67.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$8,806 CHF 7,265

-92.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.55

44.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Balzers: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,003 in Balzers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balzers pays 1199% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $124 in Balzers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $612 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 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1199% lower in Balzers. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,003 in Balzers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% 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 $48.00 versus $124 in Balzers. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,287 in Balzers, a $2,500 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 96% less than in Balzers. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.