Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $2,862 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $4,510 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $6,157 in Biel, rent included.

Medellin is about 44% cheaper than Biel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Biel sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Biel by 114%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$29.59 CHF 24.61

-72.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.9K

$107 CHF 88.6

-56.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.4K

$18.30 CHF 15.22

-48.47%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,374

$6.17 CHF 5.13

-52.84%

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

$1.75 COP 5,643

$5.01 CHF 4.16

-65.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,263

$4.12 CHF 3.43

-67.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$7.76 CHF 6.46

-59.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

$4.89 CHF 4.07

13.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,542

$2.15 CHF 1.79

-34.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,858

$3.99 CHF 3.31

-38.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,245

$3.29 CHF 2.74

-50.46%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,084

$7.08 CHF 5.89

-60.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.2K

$22.61 CHF 18.80

-57.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.0K

$27.65 CHF 22.99

-66.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.3K

$38.52 CHF 32.03

-65.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$3.11 CHF 2.58

28.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,768

$2.03 CHF 1.69

-27.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,839

$2.49 CHF 2.07

-14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,253

$3.21 CHF 2.67

-29.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,155

$1.41 CHF 1.18

35.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,214

$1.76 CHF 1.46

-7.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,696

$1.99 CHF 1.66

-42.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,063

$1.06 CHF 0.88

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$10.63 CHF 8.84

-64.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.2K

$14.81 CHF 12.32

-11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,136

$0.92 CHF 0.76

73.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,263

$1.79 CHF 1.48

26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,770

$4.77 CHF 3.97

-75.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 241.5K

$94.5 CHF 78.6

-20.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$7.86 CHF 6.54

-83.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,600

$4.64 CHF 3.86

-55.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.4K

$84.3 CHF 70.1

-90.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,088

$2.21 CHF 1.83

-42.53%

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

$26.8K COP 86.2M

$41.9K CHF 34.8K

-36.10%

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

$34.4K COP 110.8M

$34.0K CHF 28.3K

1.07%

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

$162 COP 522.3K

$137 CHF 114

18.73%

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

$13.12 COP 42.3K

$35.28 CHF 29.34

-62.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.5K

$52.0 CHF 43.21

-45.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.7K

$74.8 CHF 62.2

-40.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$22.05 CHF 18.34

-72.38%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$2,615 CHF 2,174

-70.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

$37.3K CHF 31.0K

-76.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 273.6K

$106 CHF 88.2

-19.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.1K

$40.05 CHF 33.30

43.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 424.2K

$137 CHF 114

-3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 308.3K

$213 CHF 177

-55.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$1,239 CHF 1,030

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$1,126 CHF 936

-46.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$2,251 CHF 1,872

-19.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$2,007 CHF 1,669

-50.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

$9,747 CHF 8,106

-59.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$7,907 CHF 6,575

-79.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$5,538 CHF 4,605

-88.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.68

551.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Biel: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,239 in Biel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 784% higher in Biel, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $107 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $544 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Biel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $4,293 in Biel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $764 per month in Medellin and $2,615 in Biel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Biel at $2,862. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Biel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.