Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dubendorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dubendorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $3,847 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $5,701 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $7,554 in Dubendorf.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 57% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Dubendorf 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$31.49 CHF 25.70

-74.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$125 CHF 102

-61.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$16.63 CHF 13.57

-43.36%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$6.28 CHF 5.12

-53.18%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$5.72 CHF 4.67

-67.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$5.02 CHF 4.10

-70.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$8.89 CHF 7.25

-63.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$6.65 CHF 5.42

-14.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.24 CHF 1.83

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.85 CHF 3.14

-37.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.80 CHF 3.92

-64.58%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$7.47 CHF 6.10

-61.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$32.77 CHF 26.74

-69.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$26.42 CHF 21.56

-62.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$43.21 CHF 35.27

-67.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.68 CHF 3.00

8.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.17 CHF 1.77

-27.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.31 CHF 2.70

-35.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$6.82 CHF 5.57

-66.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.56 CHF 2.09

-21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.32 CHF 1.90

-34.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.46 CHF 2.01

-51.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.41 CHF 1.15

-9.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$10.93 CHF 8.92

-64.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$13.42 CHF 10.95

4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.30 CHF 1.88

-25.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.78 CHF 2.27

-1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$2.49 CHF 2.03

-49.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$49.09 CHF 40.07

58.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$5.59 CHF 4.56

-76.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.53 CHF 2.88

-38.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$62.0 CHF 50.6

-86.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-40.35%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$42.9K CHF 35.0K

-35.99%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$39.8K CHF 32.5K

-8.19%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$242 CHF 198

-30.37%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$31.87 CHF 26.01

-57.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$67.3 CHF 54.9

-57.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$122 CHF 99.6

-62.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$80.6 CHF 65.8

-78.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$24.99 CHF 20.40

-73.39%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,876 CHF 1,531

-57.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$33.4K CHF 27.2K

-72.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$144 CHF 118

-39.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$88.9 CHF 72.6

-33.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$148 CHF 121

-6.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$178 CHF 145

-42.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,828 CHF 1,491

-41.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,836 CHF 1,498

-64.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,948 CHF 2,406

-34.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$2,918 CHF 2,381

-64.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

-66.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$7,532 CHF 6,147

-77.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,907 CHF 3,188

-83.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.48

341.13%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $1,828 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 496% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $125 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $632 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 Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Dubendorf differ by about 134% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $3,847 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 496% lower in Dubendorf. 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,828 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $3,847 in Dubendorf – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 59% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $3,847 in Dubendorf, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dubendorf. 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 Dubendorf 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 134% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.