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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,377 in Buochs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,168 in Buochs, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,959 in Buochs, rent included.

Medellin is about 50% cheaper than Buochs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Buochs sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Buochs by 147%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$31.45 CHF 25.84

-74.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$121 CHF 99.7

-60.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$16.38 CHF 13.46

-39.62%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$6.11 CHF 5.02

-48.77%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$5.67 CHF 4.66

-66.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$4.89 CHF 4.02

-69.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$8.72 CHF 7.16

-64.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$6.99 CHF 5.75

-17.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.23 CHF 1.83

-35.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$3.51 CHF 2.88

-29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$4.33 CHF 3.56

-59.12%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$7.55 CHF 6.20

-60.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$27.69 CHF 22.75

-63.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$26.66 CHF 21.91

-62.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$40.62 CHF 33.38

-64.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$3.63 CHF 2.98

14.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.11 CHF 1.73

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.64 CHF 2.17

-14.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$4.68 CHF 3.85

-51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$2.01 CHF 1.65

1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.33 CHF 1.91

-33.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$2.46 CHF 2.02

-52.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.18 CHF 0.97

11.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.94 CHF 8.99

-64.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.53 CHF 11.11

3.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.21 CHF 1.81

-21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.85 CHF 2.34

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$4.46 CHF 3.67

-72.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$99.9 CHF 82.1

-19.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$5.42 CHF 4.45

-75.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$3.52 CHF 2.89

-37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$61.4 CHF 50.5

-85.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$2.24 CHF 1.84

-38.84%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$44.1K CHF 36.2K

-36.84%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$40.7K CHF 33.5K

-12.15%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$234 CHF 192

-24.11%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$31.55 CHF 25.93

-56.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$67.9 CHF 55.8

-56.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$90.9 CHF 74.7

-50.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$46.92 CHF 38.56

-63.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$22.38 CHF 18.39

-70.29%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$1,840 CHF 1,512

-55.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$33.5K CHF 27.5K

-72.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$143 CHF 118

-37.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$90.3 CHF 74.2

-34.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$148 CHF 121

-6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$193 CHF 158

-46.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,725 CHF 1,417

-38.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,490 CHF 1,224

-55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,858 CHF 2,349

-33.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,537 CHF 2,085

-59.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$16.1K CHF 13.2K

-73.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

-86.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.72

536.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Buochs: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,725 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $121 in Buochs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $586 – 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $3,377 in Buochs – roughly 101% apart. Buochs costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $5,065 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 24% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $1,840 in Buochs. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Buochs at $3,377. 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $3,377 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.