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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,403 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $5,014 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $6,626 in Buchs.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 70% less than in Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Buchs is 154% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$29.68 CHF 23.47

-80.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$108 CHF 85.5

-69.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$11.89 CHF 9.41

-39.44%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.54 CHF 2.80

-51.98%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.42 CHF 1.91

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.97 CHF 1.56

-63.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.67 CHF 3.70

-64.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.18 CHF 4.10

-40.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.74 CHF 1.38

-39.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.01 CHF 2.38

-58.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$4.28 CHF 3.38

-67.52%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$5.05 CHF 3.99

-55.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$30.84 CHF 24.40

-85.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$14.57 CHF 11.53

-59.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$51.5 CHF 40.74

-82.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.74 CHF 2.95

-40.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.08 CHF 1.64

-48.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.00 CHF 2.37

-49.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$6.30 CHF 4.99

-78.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-54.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.42 CHF 1.91

-53.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.69 CHF 2.13

-68.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.22 CHF 0.97

-25.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$10.91 CHF 8.63

-78.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$13.79 CHF 10.91

-19.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.47 CHF 1.96

-51.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.36 CHF 2.66

-29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$2.44 CHF 1.93

-67.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$87.6 CHF 69.3

-53.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$8.05 CHF 6.37

-82.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.42 CHF 2.71

-44.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$88.6 CHF 70.1

-90.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.22 CHF 1.75

-57.66%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$30.3K CHF 23.9K

-40.77%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$41.6K CHF 32.9K

-35.66%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$187 CHF 148

-55.13%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$43.43 CHF 34.35

-77.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$57.5 CHF 45.51

-58.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$149 CHF 118

-82.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$17.26 CHF 13.65

10.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$14.90 CHF 11.79

-73.69%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$2,850 CHF 2,255

-89.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$32.9K CHF 26.0K

-82.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$139 CHF 110

-58.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$76.5 CHF 60.5

-58.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$130 CHF 103

-23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$159 CHF 126

-32.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,859 CHF 1,470

-73.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,613 CHF 1,276

-77.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,783 CHF 2,201

-70.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,420 CHF 1,915

-70.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$8,906 CHF 7,045

-93.87%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buchs: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,859 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 1533% 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 $108 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $564 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 229% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $3,403 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buchs earns 1533% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $1,859 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 $108 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $3,403 in Buchs – a 229% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,403 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 229% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.