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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,866 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $5,884 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $7,901 in Dubendorf.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 73% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Dubendorf is 189% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$31.26 CHF 25.32

-80.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$145 CHF 117

-77.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$18.61 CHF 15.07

-60.56%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$6.17 CHF 5.00

-72.12%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$5.79 CHF 4.69

-81.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$5.18 CHF 4.19

-85.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.44 CHF 6.03

-77.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.17 CHF 5.80

-55.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-53.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.27 CHF 2.65

-60.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.12 CHF 3.34

-66.02%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$7.49 CHF 6.07

-71.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$29.48 CHF 23.88

-85.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$31.92 CHF 25.85

-81.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$50.4 CHF 40.81

-82.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.22 CHF 2.61

-29.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.82 CHF 2.29

-60.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.14 CHF 2.55

-51.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$7.28 CHF 5.89

-81.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.75 CHF 2.23

-58.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-51.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.55 CHF 2.06

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.71 CHF 1.38

-46.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$11.22 CHF 9.09

-79.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.26 CHF 10.74

-6.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-46.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.98 CHF 2.41

-16.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$7.76 CHF 6.29

-89.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$124 CHF 101

-67.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.58 CHF 5.33

-78.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$4.24 CHF 3.44

-54.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$79.3 CHF 64.2

-90.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.27 CHF 1.84

-56.39%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$41.2K CHF 33.4K

-56.24%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-33.45%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$260 CHF 211

-68.95%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$35.31 CHF 28.60

-71.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$52.2 CHF 42.27

-53.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$86.9 CHF 70.4

-71.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$55.7 CHF 45.12

-65.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$24.42 CHF 19.78

-83.70%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$2,732 CHF 2,213

-88.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$38.8K CHF 31.4K

-84.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$146 CHF 118

-60.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$66.0 CHF 53.4

-51.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$146 CHF 118

-31.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$198 CHF 160

-45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,882 CHF 1,524

-74.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,830 CHF 1,482

-79.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,683 CHF 2,173

-68.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,936 CHF 2,378

-75.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$15.8K CHF 12.8K

-79.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

-89.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,977 CHF 3,221

-84.49%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,882 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 545% 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 $145 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $670 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 275% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $3,866 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 545% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,882 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $3,866 in Dubendorf – a 275% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 206% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,866 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 275% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.