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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $4,060 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $6,383 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $8,707 in Geneva, rent included.

Medellin is about 75% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Geneva is 203% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$37.68 CHF 29.74

-84.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$150 CHF 118

-78.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$18.64 CHF 14.71

-61.96%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$5.97 CHF 4.71

-71.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$5.49 CHF 4.33

-79.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$4.92 CHF 3.88

-84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$10.13 CHF 7.99

-83.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$8.54 CHF 6.74

-64.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-51.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$3.88 CHF 3.06

-67.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$4.44 CHF 3.50

-68.92%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$7.62 CHF 6.01

-71.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$26.53 CHF 20.94

-83.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$33.26 CHF 26.25

-83.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$52.6 CHF 41.49

-83.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$3.49 CHF 2.76

-32.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$2.52 CHF 1.99

-57.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$3.07 CHF 2.42

-51.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$6.26 CHF 4.94

-77.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$2.66 CHF 2.10

-56.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.32 CHF 1.83

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$2.57 CHF 2.03

-65.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$1.36 CHF 1.07

-38.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$10.90 CHF 8.60

-79.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.84 CHF 10.14

-17.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$3.26 CHF 2.57

-63.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$3.63 CHF 2.87

-31.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$3.60 CHF 2.84

-76.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$85.5 CHF 67.5

-51.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$7.53 CHF 5.95

-80.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$3.64 CHF 2.87

-46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$65.6 CHF 51.7

-88.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-57.40%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

-55.80%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$48.7K CHF 38.5K

-45.66%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$262 CHF 207

-68.60%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$47.82 CHF 37.74

-80.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$63.3 CHF 49.92

-61.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$79.6 CHF 62.8

-67.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$35.97 CHF 28.39

-47.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$24.48 CHF 19.32

-83.95%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$3,514 CHF 2,773

-91.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$32.7K CHF 25.8K

-81.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$138 CHF 109

-57.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$81.7 CHF 64.5

-60.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$162 CHF 128

-36.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$214 CHF 169

-49.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$2,329 CHF 1,838

-79.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$2,049 CHF 1,617

-81.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$4,631 CHF 3,655

-81.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$3,922 CHF 3,095

-81.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$23.1K CHF 18.2K

-87.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

-92.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$7,858 CHF 6,202

-93.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.46

445.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Geneva: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $2,329 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 1435% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $150 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $678 – 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 301%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $6,090 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 260% 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $150 in Geneva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Geneva at $4,060. 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.