Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biasca

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $3,605 in Biasca, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Biasca, Switzerland
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Biasca
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,605
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Biasca

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Biasca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $3,605 in Biasca.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Biasca $3,605

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $5,269 in Biasca.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Biasca $5,269

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $6,933 in Biasca.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Biasca $6,933

Living in Medellin costs roughly 53% less than in Biasca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 25% above, Biasca 167% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$21.93 CHF 17.97
-61.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$60.0 CHF 49.12
-22.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$12.05 CHF 9.88
-21.41%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$4.15 CHF 3.40
-24.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,728
$6.46 CHF 5.29
-72.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,620
$6.13 CHF 5.03
-76.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$9.66 CHF 7.91
-67.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$7.64 CHF 6.26
-25.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,971
$2.18 CHF 1.78
-29.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,431
$4.23 CHF 3.47
-45.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,308
$4.15 CHF 3.40
-53.25%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,945
$7.99 CHF 6.55
-61.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$27.47 CHF 22.51
-63.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$31.67 CHF 25.95
-67.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$42.87 CHF 35.13
-67.44%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.58 CHF 2.93
13.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,957
$1.98 CHF 1.62
-22.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,825
$2.85 CHF 2.34
-26.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,439
$5.38 CHF 4.41
-57.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,841
$2.07 CHF 1.70
1.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,543
$2.20 CHF 1.80
-22.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,795
$2.44 CHF 2.00
-52.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,125
$1.33 CHF 1.09
18.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$11.13 CHF 9.12
-64.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.6K
$18.33 CHF 15.02
-23.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,714
$3.01 CHF 2.46
-41.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,796
$4.08 CHF 3.34
-33.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,826
$4.76 CHF 3.90
-75.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$113 CHF 92.7
-32.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,860
$8.97 CHF 7.35
-79.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,906
$6.08 CHF 4.98
-64.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$36.71 CHF 30.08
-77.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,136
$2.37 CHF 1.94
-45.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$38.7K CHF 31.7K
-11.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$39.3K CHF 32.2K
-13.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.4K
$319 CHF 261
-44.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$38.58 CHF 31.61
-64.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$61.6 CHF 50.5
-50.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$74.4 CHF 60.9
-43.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
$51.6 CHF 42.27
-67.43%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$23.55 CHF 19.29
-68.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$3,876 CHF 3,176
-79.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$42.6K CHF 34.9K
-71.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 280.0K
$165 CHF 135
-47.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$68.0 CHF 55.7
-12.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.7K
$153 CHF 125
-9.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.5K
$279 CHF 228
-64.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,987 CHF 1,628
-32.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$1,572 CHF 1,288
-57.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$3,148 CHF 2,580
-37.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$2,601 CHF 2,131
-60.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$14.6K CHF 12.0K
-72.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$10.1K CHF 8,256
-80.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Biasca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
1.9
475.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Biasca: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Biasca
$1.6K 136% $905
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Biasca
$646 110% $339
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Biasca
$419 88.6% $197
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Biasca
$375 118% $203
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Biasca
$299 73.6% $127
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Biasca
$172 83.5% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Biasca
$121 114% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $1,987 in Biasca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $60 in Biasca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $646 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇨🇭 Biasca
🕒 Local time
05:03 5:03 AM
11:03 11:03 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
6,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,636 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.819 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.919 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Biasca 9,090 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Biasca

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Biasca?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $3,605 in Biasca, so Medellin is about 53% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Biasca?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $5,408 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Biasca?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,987 in Biasca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Biasca?
All in, you’ll spend $1,692 per month in Medellin versus $3,605 in Biasca – Medellin is about 53% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Medellin and in Biasca?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 33% less than in Biasca. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,692 in Medellin versus $3,605 in Biasca, a $2,500 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.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Biasca?
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.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Biasca?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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