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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,199 in Balzers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $5,094 in Balzers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $6,989 in Balzers.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Balzers is 139% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$31.30 CHF 25.36

-80.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$125 CHF 101

-73.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$21.82 CHF 17.67

-66.36%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.55 CHF 4.50

-69.01%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$6.27 CHF 5.08

-83.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$5.42 CHF 4.39

-85.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.45 CHF 6.03

-77.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.55 CHF 6.12

-58.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.73 CHF 2.21

-61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.00 CHF 2.43

-56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.77 CHF 2.24

-49.46%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$11.96 CHF 9.69

-81.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$25.61 CHF 20.75

-82.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$23.71 CHF 19.20

-75.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$50.3 CHF 40.77

-82.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.50 CHF 2.83

-34.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$3.80 CHF 3.08

-70.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.00 CHF 3.24

-61.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.64 CHF 2.14

-48.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.40 CHF 1.94

-52.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-48.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.10 CHF 1.70

-59.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.69 CHF 1.37

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$12.53 CHF 10.15

-81.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$14.14 CHF 11.45

-12.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.03 CHF 1.64

-40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.77 CHF 1.43

40.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.44 CHF 2.79

-75.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$85.4 CHF 69.2

-52.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.75 CHF 1.42

-18.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.88 CHF 7.19

-13.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-55.20%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.7K CHF 28.9K

-49.50%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.1K CHF 26.8K

-19.49%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$221 CHF 179

-63.35%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$40.64 CHF 32.92

-75.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$72.5 CHF 58.7

-66.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$92.2 CHF 74.7

-72.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$24.90 CHF 20.17

-23.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$24.43 CHF 19.79

-83.71%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$307 CHF 248

-0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,050 CHF 7,331

-33.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$127 CHF 103

-54.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$52.6 CHF 42.63

-38.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$176 CHF 142

-42.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$226 CHF 183

-52.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,002 CHF 812

-52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,292 CHF 1,046

-70.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,922 CHF 2,367

-71.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,390 CHF 1,936

-69.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$16.9K CHF 13.7K

-80.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$5,216 CHF 4,225

-73.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$8,820 CHF 7,144

-93.01%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Balzers: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,002 in Balzers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balzers pays 1330% 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 $125 in Balzers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $614 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 210% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1330% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,002 in Balzers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 218% 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 $125 in Balzers. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,199 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 210% less than in Balzers. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.