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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $3,516 in Buochs, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,306 in Buochs, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $7,095 in Buochs, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Buochs is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$30.98 CHF 24.60

-80.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$141 CHF 112

-76.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$15.94 CHF 12.65

-54.64%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$6.51 CHF 5.17

-74.96%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$5.43 CHF 4.31

-79.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$4.41 CHF 3.50

-83.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$8.58 CHF 6.81

-79.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$7.26 CHF 5.77

-55.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-53.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.65 CHF 2.90

-64.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$4.19 CHF 3.33

-68.50%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$7.72 CHF 6.13

-70.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$28.25 CHF 22.43

-84.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$35.23 CHF 27.97

-83.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$44.18 CHF 35.08

-80.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.78 CHF 3.00

-40.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.30 CHF 1.83

-53.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.98 CHF 2.36

-48.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$6.18 CHF 4.91

-77.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.45 CHF 1.95

-52.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-51.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.63 CHF 2.09

-66.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.28 CHF 1.02

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$10.88 CHF 8.63

-79.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$13.49 CHF 10.71

-18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.37 CHF 1.88

-51.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.12 CHF 2.48

-23.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$3.95 CHF 3.14

-78.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$99.5 CHF 79.0

-57.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$8.21 CHF 6.52

-82.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$4.22 CHF 3.35

-54.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$86.7 CHF 68.8

-91.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.14 CHF 1.70

-52.80%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$39.6K CHF 31.5K

-55.64%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$42.2K CHF 33.5K

-37.18%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$249 CHF 197

-66.34%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$54.7 CHF 43.43

-82.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$56.0 CHF 44.45

-56.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$89.2 CHF 70.8

-71.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$22.07 CHF 17.52

-81.42%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$2,574 CHF 2,044

-87.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$33.8K CHF 26.9K

-82.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$133 CHF 106

-56.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$76.4 CHF 60.6

-57.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$131 CHF 104

-24.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$161 CHF 128

-32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,723 CHF 1,368

-72.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,483 CHF 1,177

-74.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$2,788 CHF 2,213

-69.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$2,483 CHF 1,972

-70.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$16.0K CHF 12.7K

-82.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$11.6K CHF 9,240

-89.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Buochs: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $1,723 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 $141 in Buochs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $659 – 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $3,516 in Buochs – roughly 246% apart. Buochs costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $5,275 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 137% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $2,574 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 $1,017, than in Buochs at $3,516. 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $3,516 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.