Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biasca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biasca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,524 in Biasca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $5,079 in Biasca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $6,634 in Biasca.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 71% less than in Biasca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Biasca is 163% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$22.34 CHF 17.67

-73.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$61.6 CHF 48.69

-46.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$12.09 CHF 9.56

-41.36%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.36 CHF 3.45

-60.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$5.92 CHF 4.68

-81.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$5.38 CHF 4.26

-85.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$10.57 CHF 8.37

-84.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$7.27 CHF 5.75

-57.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.28 CHF 1.80

-52.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.98 CHF 3.15

-68.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$5.24 CHF 4.14

-73.66%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$7.69 CHF 6.09

-71.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$29.31 CHF 23.19

-84.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$35.26 CHF 27.89

-84.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$44.95 CHF 35.56

-80.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.78 CHF 2.99

-38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-50.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.87 CHF 2.27

-47.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$7.44 CHF 5.89

-81.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.32 CHF 1.84

-50.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.43 CHF 1.92

-52.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.56 CHF 2.02

-65.23%

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

$10.20 CHF 8.07

-77.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$18.88 CHF 14.94

-43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$3.96 CHF 3.13

-69.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$4.36 CHF 3.45

-43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$3.93 CHF 3.11

-78.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$97.4 CHF 77.0

-57.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$8.45 CHF 6.68

-82.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$5.52 CHF 4.37

-64.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$87.2 CHF 68.9

-91.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.22 CHF 1.75

-57.21%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$40.6K CHF 32.1K

-55.32%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$41.4K CHF 32.8K

-36.08%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$295 CHF 234

-72.14%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$67.5 CHF 53.4

-85.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$60.2 CHF 47.65

-59.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$86.6 CHF 68.5

-70.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$23.82 CHF 18.84

-83.50%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$3,991 CHF 3,157

-92.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$40.2K CHF 31.8K

-85.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$107 CHF 84.9

-45.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$53.3 CHF 42.14

-39.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$152 CHF 120

-32.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$187 CHF 148

-42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,730 CHF 1,369

-72.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,462 CHF 1,157

-74.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,870 CHF 2,270

-70.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,490 CHF 1,970

-70.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$13.3K CHF 10.5K

-78.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$9,585 CHF 7,583

-87.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Biasca: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,730 in Biasca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $62.0 in Biasca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $702 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 Biasca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Biasca differ by about 248% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $3,524 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $5,286 in Biasca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $1,730 in Biasca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $3,524 in Biasca – a 248% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 135% less than in Biasca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,524 in Biasca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Biasca. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Biasca 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 248% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.