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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,534 in Embrach, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $5,389 in Embrach, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $7,243 in Embrach, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Embrach is 165% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$30.26 CHF 24.35

-80.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$139 CHF 112

-76.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$18.77 CHF 15.11

-60.47%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$6.01 CHF 4.84

-72.55%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$5.26 CHF 4.24

-79.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$4.71 CHF 3.79

-83.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$8.26 CHF 6.65

-79.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$7.37 CHF 5.93

-56.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$2.24 CHF 1.80

-53.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$3.47 CHF 2.79

-62.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$4.09 CHF 3.29

-67.24%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$7.37 CHF 5.93

-70.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$29.12 CHF 23.44

-84.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$33.54 CHF 27.00

-83.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$48.09 CHF 38.71

-82.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$3.73 CHF 3.00

-37.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$2.24 CHF 1.80

-50.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$3.00 CHF 2.41

-49.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$6.34 CHF 5.10

-78.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$2.42 CHF 1.95

-52.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.41 CHF 1.94

-51.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$2.57 CHF 2.07

-67.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.36 CHF 1.10

-36.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$10.89 CHF 8.77

-79.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$13.67 CHF 11.00

-15.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.43 CHF 1.96

-50.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$3.38 CHF 2.72

-26.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$3.92 CHF 3.16

-79.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$99.1 CHF 79.8

-58.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$8.11 CHF 6.53

-81.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$4.12 CHF 3.31

-53.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$81.0 CHF 65.2

-90.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$2.15 CHF 1.73

-53.02%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$40.4K CHF 32.5K

-56.25%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$42.2K CHF 33.9K

-37.24%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$265 CHF 214

-69.44%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$48.95 CHF 39.40

-80.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$59.1 CHF 47.53

-59.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$87.5 CHF 70.4

-70.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$73.4 CHF 59.1

-74.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$23.06 CHF 18.56

-82.26%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$2,868 CHF 2,308

-89.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$35.4K CHF 28.5K

-82.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$138 CHF 111

-56.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$67.7 CHF 54.5

-52.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$146 CHF 117

-30.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$188 CHF 151

-43.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,692 CHF 1,362

-71.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,450 CHF 1,167

-74.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,880 CHF 2,318

-71.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,454 CHF 1,975

-70.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$17.6K CHF 14.2K

-83.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$13.2K CHF 10.7K

-90.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$7,019 CHF 5,650

-92.15%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Embrach: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,692 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 1174% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $139 in Embrach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $663 – 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: $1,028 in Medellin, $3,534 in Embrach – roughly 244% apart. Embrach costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $5,302 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $3,534 in Embrach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 143% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Embrach at $3,534. 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 $1,028 in Medellin to $3,534 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.