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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,506 in Biasca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $5,167 in Biasca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $6,828 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 23% below, Biasca is 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$22.11 CHF 17.91

-72.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$62.2 CHF 50.4

-47.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$12.54 CHF 10.16

-41.47%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.40 CHF 3.56

-60.91%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$6.05 CHF 4.90

-82.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$5.44 CHF 4.41

-85.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$10.66 CHF 8.63

-84.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.50 CHF 6.08

-57.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-52.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$4.06 CHF 3.29

-67.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$5.17 CHF 4.19

-72.92%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$7.65 CHF 6.20

-71.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$28.94 CHF 23.44

-84.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$36.38 CHF 29.47

-83.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$43.79 CHF 35.47

-80.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.71 CHF 3.00

-38.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.08 CHF 1.68

-46.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.87 CHF 2.33

-46.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$7.06 CHF 5.72

-80.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-50.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.42 CHF 1.96

-53.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.63 CHF 2.13

-67.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.60 CHF 1.30

-43.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$10.20 CHF 8.27

-77.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.38 CHF 14.89

-32.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$4.00 CHF 3.24

-70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-40.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.87 CHF 3.13

-78.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$97.9 CHF 79.3

-58.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$8.53 CHF 6.91

-83.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$5.72 CHF 4.63

-66.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$86.2 CHF 69.8

-91.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.15 CHF 1.74

-53.95%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$40.4K CHF 32.8K

-55.41%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$41.4K CHF 33.5K

-35.71%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$288 CHF 233

-71.96%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$67.0 CHF 54.3

-85.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$59.1 CHF 47.86

-59.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$87.4 CHF 70.8

-71.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$23.26 CHF 18.84

-82.89%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$4,078 CHF 3,303

-92.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$41.3K CHF 33.4K

-85.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$111 CHF 89.5

-47.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$54.3 CHF 44.01

-40.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$156 CHF 127

-35.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$188 CHF 152

-42.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,679 CHF 1,360

-71.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,482 CHF 1,200

-74.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,815 CHF 2,280

-69.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,450 CHF 1,984

-70.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$17.0K CHF 13.8K

-81.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$13.4K CHF 10.9K

-89.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Biasca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,679 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 $193 vs $699 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 240% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $3,506 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $5,259 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,679 in Biasca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $3,506 in Biasca – a 240% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 141% less than in Biasca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,506 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 240% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.