Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buochs Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buochs

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $3,462 in Buochs, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $5,316 in Buochs, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $7,170 in Buochs, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Buochs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Buochs is 160% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$30.91 CHF 24.94

-80.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$142 CHF 115

-76.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$15.99 CHF 12.91

-53.53%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$6.48 CHF 5.23

-74.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$5.40 CHF 4.36

-79.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$4.39 CHF 3.54

-82.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$8.50 CHF 6.86

-79.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$7.21 CHF 5.82

-55.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.14 CHF 1.73

-48.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.72 CHF 3.00

-66.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$4.19 CHF 3.38

-67.06%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$7.93 CHF 6.40

-72.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$28.27 CHF 22.82

-84.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$35.82 CHF 28.91

-83.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$44.69 CHF 36.06

-79.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.66 CHF 2.95

-36.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-54.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.85 CHF 2.30

-46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$6.36 CHF 5.13

-78.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.40 CHF 1.93

-52.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.53 CHF 2.04

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.66 CHF 2.14

-66.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.26 CHF 1.02

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$11.11 CHF 8.97

-79.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$13.33 CHF 10.76

-9.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.37 CHF 1.92

-49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.12 CHF 2.52

-20.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$3.98 CHF 3.21

-78.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$99.3 CHF 80.1

-58.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$8.07 CHF 6.51

-82.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-53.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$87.2 CHF 70.3

-90.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.14 CHF 1.72

-53.74%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$40.0K CHF 32.3K

-56.02%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$42.9K CHF 34.6K

-37.55%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$249 CHF 201

-66.71%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$54.8 CHF 44.24

-82.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$55.5 CHF 44.82

-57.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$88.9 CHF 71.8

-71.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$52.3 CHF 42.22

-63.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$21.87 CHF 17.65

-81.94%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$2,551 CHF 2,059

-87.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$33.9K CHF 27.3K

-82.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$132 CHF 106

-54.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$75.9 CHF 61.3

-58.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$131 CHF 105

-22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$158 CHF 128

-32.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,667 CHF 1,345

-71.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,453 CHF 1,172

-74.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,859 CHF 2,307

-70.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$2,454 CHF 1,980

-70.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$12.9K CHF 10.4K

-74.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$12.0K CHF 9,681

-87.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.5

437.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Buochs: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,667 in Buochs. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $142 in Buochs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $663 – 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 Buochs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $3,462 in Buochs – roughly 245% apart. Buochs costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $5,192 in Buochs. 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 139% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $2,551 in Buochs. 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 $1,003, than in Buochs at $3,462. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buochs it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,003 in Medellin to $3,462 in Buochs. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Buochs makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.