Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buchs Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buchs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $3,320 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $4,929 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $6,538 in Buchs.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 69% less than in Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Buchs is 149% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$29.63 CHF 23.50

-79.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$128 CHF 102

-74.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$11.76 CHF 9.33

-36.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.43 CHF 2.72

-51.90%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.39 CHF 1.89

-55.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$2.00 CHF 1.58

-62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$4.69 CHF 3.72

-63.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$5.13 CHF 4.07

-37.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.76 CHF 1.40

-40.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.03 CHF 2.40

-56.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$4.26 CHF 3.38

-68.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$4.89 CHF 3.88

-55.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$31.09 CHF 24.65

-85.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$14.66 CHF 11.63

-61.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$51.7 CHF 40.98

-83.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.79 CHF 3.00

-38.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.14 CHF 1.70

-48.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.90 CHF 2.30

-47.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$6.25 CHF 4.96

-78.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-54.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.50 CHF 1.99

-52.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.61 CHF 2.07

-67.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.28 CHF 1.02

-32.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$11.13 CHF 8.83

-79.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$13.77 CHF 10.92

-15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.39 CHF 1.90

-49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.36 CHF 2.67

-26.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$2.50 CHF 1.98

-68.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$86.8 CHF 68.9

-52.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$8.36 CHF 6.63

-82.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$3.52 CHF 2.79

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$90.2 CHF 71.5

-91.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-54.71%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$30.9K CHF 24.5K

-42.87%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$42.7K CHF 33.9K

-38.02%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$184 CHF 146

-56.01%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$43.49 CHF 34.49

-78.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$57.4 CHF 45.54

-58.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$149 CHF 118

-82.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$17.28 CHF 13.70

8.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$14.64 CHF 11.61

-72.06%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$2,934 CHF 2,327

-89.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$33.6K CHF 26.7K

-82.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$136 CHF 108

-56.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$75.5 CHF 59.9

-57.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$130 CHF 103

-22.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$157 CHF 125

-33.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,860 CHF 1,475

-73.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,585 CHF 1,257

-76.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,740 CHF 2,173

-69.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,504 CHF 1,986

-70.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$17.8K CHF 14.1K

-83.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$12.8K CHF 10.1K

-89.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$8,909 CHF 7,066

-93.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

571.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Buchs: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $1,860 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 1518% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $128 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $565 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 Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Buchs differ by about 223% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $3,320 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buchs earns 1518% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Medellin versus $1,860 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $128 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $3,320 in Buchs – a 223% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $3,320 in Buchs, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Buchs. 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 Buchs 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 223% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.