Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fribourg

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $3,530 in Fribourg, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
168

Cost of Living Index in Fribourg
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Fribourg Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Fribourg

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,530

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Fribourg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Fribourg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $3,530 in Fribourg, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Fribourg $3,530

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $5,160 in Fribourg, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Fribourg $5,160

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $6,789 in Fribourg, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Fribourg $6,789

Medellin is about 52% cheaper than Fribourg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Fribourg sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Fribourg by 161%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$29.96 CHF 24.55

-72.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.2K

$122 CHF 99.6

-61.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.6K

$16.11 CHF 13.20

-41.22%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$6.32 CHF 5.18

-50.47%

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

$1.77 COP 5,702

$5.17 CHF 4.24

-65.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,599

$5.31 CHF 4.35

-73.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$7.18 CHF 5.88

-56.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

$6.83 CHF 5.59

-16.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,948

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,397

$3.29 CHF 2.70

-30.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,279

$3.52 CHF 2.89

-44.89%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,900

$7.40 CHF 6.07

-58.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.3K

$24.30 CHF 19.91

-58.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

$25.33 CHF 20.75

-58.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

$37.26 CHF 30.53

-62.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

$3.56 CHF 2.92

13.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,934

$1.64 CHF 1.34

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,794

$2.58 CHF 2.12

-18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,405

$4.59 CHF 3.76

-50.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,810

$1.72 CHF 1.41

22.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,518

$2.10 CHF 1.72

-18.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,778

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-48.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,101

$1.20 CHF 0.98

31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

$10.96 CHF 8.98

-64.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.3K

$10.48 CHF 8.59

33.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,688

$3.62 CHF 2.96

-51.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,756

$2.47 CHF 2.02

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,809

$3.64 CHF 2.98

-67.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.3K

$86.2 CHF 70.6

-11.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,833

$12.31 CHF 10.08

-85.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,874

$4.90 CHF 4.01

-56.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,117

$2.30 CHF 1.89

-44.35%

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

$34.4K COP 111.2M

$39.3K CHF 32.2K

-12.42%

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

$34.1K COP 110.2M

$39.6K CHF 32.4K

-13.74%

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

$178 COP 573.8K

$343 CHF 281

-48.12%

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

$42.40 CHF 34.74

-67.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.2K

$57.3 CHF 46.93

-46.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.4K

$77.4 CHF 63.4

-45.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

$21.17 CHF 17.34

-64.71%

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

$790 COP 2.6M

$2,813 CHF 2,305

-71.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.7K

$100 CHF 82.3

-14.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.3K

$98.4 CHF 80.6

-39.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.6K

$248 CHF 203

-44.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.0K

$197 CHF 162

-49.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$1,809 CHF 1,482

-25.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

$1,538 CHF 1,260

-56.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$2,713 CHF 2,223

-27.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$2,313 CHF 1,895

-55.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

$13.8K CHF 11.3K

-70.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

$10.4K CHF 8,495

-81.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$6,889 CHF 5,644

-90.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.31

373.59%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Fribourg: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Fribourg

$1.5K 43.6% 131% $871

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Fribourg

$548 15.5% 78.3% $241

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Fribourg

$442 12.5% 98.9% $220

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Fribourg

$455 12.9% 164% $283

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Fribourg

$290 8.2% 68.2% $117

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Fribourg

$138 3.9% 47.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Fribourg

$120 3.4% 110% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,809 in Fribourg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Fribourg are about 11 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $122 in Fribourg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $548 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇭 Fribourg

🕒 Local time

14:56 2:56 PM

20:56 8:56 PM

6 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

37,485

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

1 CHF = 1.22 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,610 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.819 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.916 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Fribourg 8,950 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Fribourg

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Fribourg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fribourg costs about 109% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $5,296 in Fribourg. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,341 there versus $1,809 in Fribourg.

Kindergarten costs $790 per month in Medellin and $2,813 in Fribourg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% more in Fribourg, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Fribourg at $3,530. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fribourg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,692 versus $3,530 in Fribourg. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fribourg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.