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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,974 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $5,958 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $7,942 in Dubendorf.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 75% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Dubendorf is 197% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$30.79 CHF 24.36

-80.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$150 CHF 119

-78.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$18.42 CHF 14.57

-61.51%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$6.38 CHF 5.05

-73.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$5.85 CHF 4.63

-81.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$5.40 CHF 4.27

-85.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$7.41 CHF 5.87

-77.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$6.99 CHF 5.53

-56.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-49.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.26 CHF 2.58

-61.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$4.08 CHF 3.23

-66.18%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$7.26 CHF 5.74

-69.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$29.29 CHF 23.17

-84.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$31.91 CHF 25.24

-82.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$49.09 CHF 38.84

-81.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.18 CHF 2.51

-26.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.81 CHF 2.22

-62.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.09 CHF 2.44

-51.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$7.09 CHF 5.61

-80.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.78 CHF 2.20

-58.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.27 CHF 1.80

-48.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.55 CHF 2.02

-65.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.73 CHF 1.37

-51.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$11.01 CHF 8.71

-79.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.50 CHF 12.27

-31.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.95 CHF 2.33

-16.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$7.71 CHF 6.10

-88.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$123 CHF 97.5

-66.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$6.87 CHF 5.43

-78.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$4.25 CHF 3.36

-53.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$79.7 CHF 63.1

-90.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-58.87%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

-54.23%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$40.2K CHF 31.8K

-34.08%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$260 CHF 206

-68.42%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$35.53 CHF 28.11

-73.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$52.7 CHF 41.70

-54.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$87.4 CHF 69.1

-70.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$55.8 CHF 44.11

-65.92%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$25.12 CHF 19.87

-84.36%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$2,686 CHF 2,125

-88.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

-84.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$147 CHF 116

-60.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$64.5 CHF 51.0

-49.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$147 CHF 117

-30.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$202 CHF 160

-46.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,855 CHF 1,467

-74.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,860 CHF 1,472

-79.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,681 CHF 2,121

-68.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,917 CHF 2,307

-75.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

-80.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$10.0K CHF 7,912

-87.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$4,069 CHF 3,219

-87.42%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,855 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 695% 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 $150 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $667 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 292% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $3,974 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Dubendorf earns 695% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $1,855 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $3,974 in Dubendorf – a 292% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 198% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,974 in Dubendorf, a $1,500 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 292% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.