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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,120 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $4,725 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $6,330 in Biel, rent included.

Medellin is about 67% cheaper than Biel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Biel is 134% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$24.31 CHF 19.28

-75.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$109 CHF 86.6

-69.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$16.01 CHF 12.70

-53.65%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$6.15 CHF 4.88

-73.17%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$5.31 CHF 4.21

-79.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$4.87 CHF 3.87

-84.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$7.65 CHF 6.06

-77.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$6.88 CHF 5.46

-53.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.18 CHF 1.73

-51.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.77 CHF 2.99

-65.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$4.26 CHF 3.38

-68.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$7.54 CHF 5.98

-70.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$30.72 CHF 24.37

-85.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$34.92 CHF 27.69

-83.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$51.7 CHF 41.01

-83.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.36 CHF 2.66

-30.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-50.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$3.01 CHF 2.38

-49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$4.11 CHF 3.26

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.48 CHF 1.97

-53.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-52.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.60 CHF 2.07

-67.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.90 CHF 0.71

-4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$11.11 CHF 8.81

-79.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$13.56 CHF 10.76

-14.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.30 CHF 1.83

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.33 CHF 2.64

-25.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$4.42 CHF 3.50

-82.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$110 CHF 87.3

-62.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$12.54 CHF 9.94

-88.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$4.23 CHF 3.36

-54.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$84.5 CHF 67.0

-90.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$2.14 CHF 1.70

-52.80%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$31.1K CHF 24.7K

-43.21%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$28.6K CHF 22.6K

-7.36%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$245 CHF 194

-66.90%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$35.79 CHF 28.38

-73.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$56.0 CHF 44.44

-57.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$113 CHF 90.0

-77.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$73.6 CHF 58.4

-74.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$22.57 CHF 17.90

-81.88%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$2,933 CHF 2,326

-89.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

-85.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$139 CHF 110

-56.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$46.95 CHF 37.24

-31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$132 CHF 105

-23.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$160 CHF 127

-34.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,289 CHF 1,022

-62.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,155 CHF 916

-68.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,303 CHF 1,826

-64.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,821 CHF 1,444

-59.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$10.2K CHF 8,071

-70.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$8,232 CHF 6,529

-84.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$7,807 CHF 6,191

-92.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

1.88

614.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Biel: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,289 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 1317% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $109 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $670 – 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 203%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $4,679 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 170% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $2,933 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 $1,028, than in Biel at $3,120. 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.