Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Geneva Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Geneva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $4,202 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $6,374 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $8,546 in Geneva, rent included.

Medellin is about 61% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Geneva sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Geneva by 205%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$30.87 CHF 25.19

-73.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$136 CHF 111

-64.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$18.85 CHF 15.38

-50.03%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$6.65 CHF 5.43

-55.79%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$5.00 CHF 4.08

-62.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$4.17 CHF 3.41

-64.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$10.02 CHF 8.18

-67.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$9.77 CHF 7.97

-41.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.38 CHF 1.94

-39.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.49 CHF 2.85

-31.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.26 CHF 2.66

-47.85%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$8.25 CHF 6.74

-64.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$25.28 CHF 20.63

-60.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$30.09 CHF 24.56

-66.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$43.71 CHF 35.67

-67.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.59 CHF 2.93

10.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.68 CHF 1.37

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.73 CHF 2.23

-21.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.81 CHF 3.93

-52.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.59 CHF 1.29

25.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.13 CHF 1.74

-29.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.10 CHF 1.71

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.70 CHF 1.39

-24.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$11.27 CHF 9.20

-65.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$12.19 CHF 9.95

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$3.27 CHF 2.67

-47.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.58 CHF 2.92

-23.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-66.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$90.8 CHF 74.1

-14.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$7.83 CHF 6.39

-83.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.91 CHF 3.19

-44.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$65.7 CHF 53.6

-87.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.38 CHF 1.95

-42.86%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$39.1K CHF 31.9K

-29.80%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$40.1K CHF 32.8K

-8.97%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$287 CHF 234

-41.14%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$39.09 CHF 31.91

-65.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$58.1 CHF 47.39

-51.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$76.3 CHF 62.2

-40.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$46.89 CHF 38.26

-63.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$24.65 CHF 20.12

-73.02%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$2,449 CHF 1,999

-67.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$36.8K CHF 30.0K

-75.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$136 CHF 111

-35.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$81.8 CHF 66.7

-27.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$169 CHF 138

-17.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$189 CHF 154

-45.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$2,843 CHF 2,320

-62.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$2,143 CHF 1,749

-69.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$4,690 CHF 3,827

-58.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$3,651 CHF 2,979

-71.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$22.5K CHF 18.3K

-81.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$16.0K CHF 13.0K

-89.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$7,229 CHF 5,900

-90.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.98

452.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Geneva: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $2,843 in Geneva. 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 1004% higher in Geneva, 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 $136 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $611 – 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 Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 156%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $6,303 in Geneva. 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.

Groceries cost about 103% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $136 in Geneva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Geneva at $4,202. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Geneva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.