Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Embrach Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Embrach

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,502 in Embrach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,311 in Embrach, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $7,120 in Embrach, rent included.

Medellin is about 52% cheaper than Embrach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Embrach sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Embrach by 156%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$30.48 CHF 25.15

-73.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$124 CHF 102

-61.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$18.51 CHF 15.27

-46.57%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$6.00 CHF 4.95

-47.83%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$5.48 CHF 4.52

-65.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$4.99 CHF 4.12

-69.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$8.87 CHF 7.32

-64.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$7.36 CHF 6.07

-21.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.17 CHF 1.79

-33.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$3.71 CHF 3.06

-32.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$3.86 CHF 3.18

-54.15%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$7.96 CHF 6.57

-62.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$26.40 CHF 21.78

-61.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$28.10 CHF 23.18

-63.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$40.98 CHF 33.80

-65.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.70 CHF 3.05

11.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.11 CHF 1.74

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.69 CHF 2.22

-16.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.91 CHF 4.05

-54.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.90 CHF 1.57

7.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.12 CHF 1.75

-27.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$2.25 CHF 1.85

-48.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.34 CHF 1.11

-2.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$10.91 CHF 9.00

-64.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$13.32 CHF 10.99

5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.76 CHF 2.28

-36.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.16 CHF 2.60

-9.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$4.46 CHF 3.68

-72.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$101 CHF 83.0

-20.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$7.57 CHF 6.25

-82.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$4.76 CHF 3.93

-53.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$80.9 CHF 66.7

-89.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$2.23 CHF 1.84

-38.57%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$42.4K CHF 35.0K

-34.32%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

-10.08%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$288 CHF 238

-38.52%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$33.75 CHF 27.84

-58.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$57.8 CHF 47.68

-48.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$91.3 CHF 75.3

-50.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$45.78 CHF 37.77

-62.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$23.65 CHF 19.51

-71.88%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$2,764 CHF 2,280

-70.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$35.3K CHF 29.1K

-73.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$142 CHF 117

-36.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$59.2 CHF 48.81

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$170 CHF 140

-18.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$191 CHF 157

-46.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,772 CHF 1,462

-40.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,476 CHF 1,218

-55.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,960 CHF 2,442

-36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,520 CHF 2,079

-59.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$16.4K CHF 13.5K

-74.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

-86.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$6,661 CHF 5,495

-89.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.07

428.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Embrach: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,772 in Embrach. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 883% higher in Embrach, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $124 in Embrach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $597 – 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 Embrach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $3,502 in Embrach – roughly 108% apart. Embrach 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 $5,253 in Embrach. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $3,502 in Embrach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Embrach at $3,502. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Embrach 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 $3,502 in Embrach. 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, Embrach makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.